Waiting for your 2nd Covid-19 vaccine dose? You can now opt to bring your appointment forward

SINGAPORE - Members of the public who are awaiting their second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine can now opt to get it earlier, as Singapore ramps up its vaccination exercise.

Checks by The Straits Times found that several people who were able to book their second jab only about six to eight weeks after their first jab are now able to shorten the interval to four weeks.

ST has contacted the Ministry of Health (MOH) for more details about this change.

The move by the ministry to shorten the interval between the two vaccine jabs comes earlier than expected.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said last week that if vaccine supplies continue to arrive as planned, most of the population who are willing to take the vaccine will have received their first dose by the second half of July.

Once this target has been met, MOH will then review the current interval between doses of six to eight weeks and reduce it to four weeks.

The authorities had in May lengthened the interval between doses to prioritise giving out the first dose and accord some protection to as many in the population as possible.

The option for shortened intervals between the first and second jabs was first flagged by a user on social media platform Reddit early on Tuesday morning (June 29).

An IT consultant who only wanted to be known as Mr Chai, 28, said he moved his appointment on Tuesday morning after seeing the Reddit post.

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He was due to have his second Moderna Covid-19 jab at Marsiling Community Centre on July 27, but brought it forward by 13 days to July 14.

"I brought it forward because I wanted to get it over and done with quickly," said Mr Chai.

"It also seems like there will be more freedom for vaccinated people, such as not having to go for swab tests when attending events."

Accounts executive Sharon Soh, 28, on Tuesday afternoon also moved her appointment forward, by one week to Aug 6.

She had received her first Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine jab at Chua Chu Kang Community Club on June 28, and was initially set to get the second jab six weeks later.

But she brought it forward after taking into account the health of her three-month-old daughter.

"I don't want to get infected and end up passing on the Covid-19 virus to her, so I wanted to get protection for myself as soon as possible," she said.

Those who want to check if they can change the date of their second dose can do so at the Covid-19 vaccination appointment booking website with their booking code and ID.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.