Singapore warns on COVID-19 vaccine supplies as it expands immunization drive
May 11, 2021, 8:55 am

Singapore warns on COVID-19 vaccine supplies as it expands immunization drive

Empty Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine vials and syringes are seen in a disposal container at Austria Center, which has been set up as a coronavirus disease mass vaccination centre, in Vienna, Austria April 22, 2021. (File photo: Reuters)

Singapore still expects to complete its COVID-19 inoculation program by the end of the year, the health minister said on Tuesday, though the city-state is also looking to secure more sources of vaccines as global supplies become more stretched.

As of Sunday, 1.8 million people in Singapore had received at least one dose of the vaccine, or nearly a third of the population. About 1.2 million people have completed the full two-dose vaccination regimen, Gan Kim Yong told parliament.

Singapore has one of the fastest vaccinations drives in Asia, but it lags some Western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, according to a Reuters tracker.

“Global supplies of vaccines are limited, and not just the quantity but also logistics are challenging, and therefore we need to do what we can to expand and diversify our sources,” Gan

said.

Singapore has been using the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, and has taken delivery of 200,000 doses of the vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech, which has yet to be granted approval by Singapore authorities.

Singapore has been looking at alternatives and had “entered into advance purchasing agreements”, said Gan, who said he was unable to give details due to confidentiality clauses.

Singapore’s health authority has previously said it was holding talks with AstraZeneca.

Still, if supplies arrived as scheduled, Singapore would complete its inoculation program by the end of the year, he said.

Singapore was also making plans for booster shots later this year or early next year, if necessary.

Singapore has been vaccinating those aged 45 years and older, but will invite younger people to receive shots from the second half of May.

The country has seen a rise in infections in recent weeks, along with locally acquired cases of coronavirus variants, prompting tightened curbs on social gatherings and stricter border measures.

Though only a fraction of the cases being reported among Singapore’s Southeast Asian neighbors, a jump in infections would be a setback for the Asian business hub, which has successfully contained its earlier outbreaks.

source: Reuters

Image source: Reuters

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”