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 announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.