30 who had serious side effects linked to vaccines qualify for financial help
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
People in the observation area after receiving their Covid-19 vaccine jab at Senja-Cashew Community Club in March. Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said yesterday that Singapore has not seen any local cases of unusual blood clots associated with low platelets that have been reported with other vaccines used overseas.
ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
There have been 104 applications for financial assistance submitted for those suffering from serious side effects related to Covid-19 vaccines, as at May 3.
Of these, 30 qualified for compensation.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told Parliament yesterday that out of the 30, 21 were cases of hypersensitivity or allergic reactions.
There were also four neurology-related cases, three cardiology-related cases, and one case related to haematology (blood disorders) and dermatology (skin) each.
Another 45 applications were rejected and the outcome of 29 applications is still pending.
In a ministerial statement on the Covid-19 situation, Mr Gan addressed various questions from MPs on the vaccines.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC) of the Workers' Party (WP) had asked for the Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme figures. She also asked why some of the applications were rejected.
Mr Dennis Tan (Hougang) had asked whether there are studies by the health authorities to ensure that using the currently approved Covid-19 vaccines does not entail the risk of rare blood clots seen with other vaccines in use elsewhere.
As at Sunday, about 1.8 million individuals had received at least one dose of the vaccine, Mr Gan said. Among them, about 1.2 million individuals had received their second dose and completed the full vaccination regimen.
Mr Gan said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) had received 2,796 reports of suspected adverse events associated with the use of Covid-19 vaccines as at April 18. This represents 0.13 per cent of the doses administered.
He noted that the majority are not serious.
"Only 0.004 per cent of our doses administered have reported serious adverse events. In general, the observed trend of adverse events within Singapore is consistent with those reported overseas," said the minister.
"The most commonly reported adverse events are not serious. They include dizziness, fever, muscle ache, pain at the injection site, headache and allergic reactions.
"These symptoms generally resolve within a few days. Most of the patients here have recovered or are recovering from these adverse events."
Mr Gan noted that while there are multiple reasons for rejecting the financial assistance applications, all cases are assessed thoroughly by the independent panel before they are approved or rejected.
In response to Mr Tan's question, Mr Gan also said Singapore has not seen any local cases of unusual blood clots associated with low platelets that have been reported with other vaccines used overseas.
Mr Gan said the HSA released a report on the reported adverse events last Thursday, and added that the report will continue to be published on a routine basis.
The report can be found on both the HSA and the Ministry of Health websites.
The minister added that the HSA continues to monitor and review the safety of Covid-19 vaccines.
Following Mr Gan's statement, Mr Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) of the WP asked if people who experience allergic reactions upon receiving the first dose can still receive the second dose, if the reaction is mild.
Mr Giam also asked if hospitals have business continuity plans in place to avoid a complete lockdown, in the event that new Covid-19 cases are discovered during testing.
Mr Gan replied that medical professionals make an assessment on a case-by-case basis for those who experience side effects upon receiving the first dose.
"If the allergic reaction is mild, you should be able to continue to receive vaccination," he added.
He said all hospitals have contingency plans in place and will continue to see their patients even if new cases are found.
However, he noted that the cluster at Tan Tock Seng Hospital is quite large and some time is needed to determine that there is no underlying transmission within the hospital before it can be reopened for new patients.
Rei Kurohi
