Singapore – A 16-year-old boy erroneously received the first dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine on Thursday (Jun 3) at the Kolam Ayer Community Club vaccination centre, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of Education (MOE).
The error was discovered onsite when vaccination centre staff identified that the individual was under 18 years of age during the post-vaccination observation period, said MOH and MOE in a joint statement on Friday (Jun 4).
“As an additional precaution, he was placed under a longer observation time of 50 minutes and remained generally well,” said MOH.
Investigations found that the youth’s date of birth was erroneously entered during the booking of a vaccination appointment after receiving the sign-up link.
The individual was then incorrectly registered as above 18 years of age, making it possible for a Moderna vaccination centre to be selected, said MOH.
“The vaccination centre staff had failed to verify his age during registration, which should have been carried out,” MOH noted.
“The safety of those receiving the vaccination is of utmost priority. MOH and MOE take a serious view of this incident.”
The agencies apologised for the inconvenience and anxiety caused and have reached out to the youth’s parents to explain the situation.
“A thorough review of our internal processes at vaccination sites has been carried out to prevent a recurrence,” said MOH.
The review included strengthening the online registration process to ensure individuals making appointments at suitable vaccination centres are eligible, as well as putting more stringent protocols in verifying eligibility at vaccination sites.
“The Moderna Covid-19 vaccine is currently authorised for use in Singapore for individuals aged 18 and above,” said MOH.
“Data from a trial involving more than 3,700 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old has found that the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine is safe and effective among adolescents with no significant safety issues identified.”
MOH noted that the majority of adverse side effects were mild or moderate in severity, with injection site pain, headache, fatigue, muscle aches and chills being the commonly reported cases.
The Expert Committee for Covid-19 Vaccination does not expect the vaccine to be unsafe for the youth, said MOH. It will advise on what would be best for the individual for the completion of the vaccination./TISG
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