SINGAPORE - Singaporeans can better protect themselves from the latest strains of Covid-19 from end-October, when stocks of the updated Comirnaty vaccine by Pfizer are expected to arrive.

The monovalent or single-target vaccine targets current Omicron subvariants, including the Omicron XBB.1.5 variant, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Friday.

Approved by HSA on Tuesday, the update ensures that the vaccine continues to be protective as the virus evolves, it said. The updated vaccine can be used by individuals aged six months and above.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung advised Singaporeans to have their jabs updated as the Republic’s vaccination rate is declining.

He said in a Facebook post: “Our vaccination take-up rate is falling, which means over time, our protection against Covid-19 will weaken.”

He said the virus has not become milder, but it is we who have become stronger, through vaccinations and safe recovery from infections. “Vaccines are an important part of our preventive care journey. We encourage everyone, especially our seniors, to take it once a year.”

Mr Ong also said that unlike the previous bivalent vaccine, the newly approved vaccine does not target the original strain of the virus, which is no longer circulating widely in the community.

He added that stocks of the updated Comirnaty vaccine by Pfizer should arrive by end-October and more details will be shared by the Ministry of Health later.

HSA said in its statement that there are no other changes to the quality, safety and efficacy of the vaccine, and the updated vaccine is expected to retain the favourable benefit-risk balance of the original monovalent version.

In its review of the updated vaccine, HSA said it had considered the extensive data accrued from previous versions of the Comirnaty vaccine, as well as additional data which shows that the updated vaccine could enhance the immune responses against the predominant circulating Omicron subvariants, including XBB.1.5, EG.5 (Eris) and the emerging BA.2.86.

“Based on the totality of evidence, and with the support of the Medicines Advisory Committee and the Panel of Infectious Diseases Experts, HSA has assessed that the overall evidence supported authorisation of the updated Comirnaty vaccine,” it added.

It also said the updating of vaccines to ensure their continued effectiveness is not new and has been done for seasonal influenza vaccines, which are updated every six months.