Ifah SakinahSingapore will be sending 500,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to Australia, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). This comes as the two countries agree to a “dose sharing” arrangement of COVID-19 vaccines.
Also read: COVID-19 Travel Guide: Travelling From Singapore to Germany and Back
Singapore-Australia “dose sharing” arrangement of COVID-19 vaccines
Image credit: Dhoomil Sheta
Singapore will tap on its existing stockpile of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines to keep up to their end of the deal. Currently, the Little Red Dot has adequate supply to meet immediate needs.
Recently, the country marked a significant milestone in relation to vaccination rate. Eighty percent of Singapore’s population completed their full COVID-19 vaccination regimen of two doses on 29 Aug 2021.
Australia will provide the same quantity of vaccines back to Singapore at a later date as part of the agreement. Potentially, they would be used as booster shots for “specific segments of the population that could benefit from such boosting.”
COVID-19 situation in Australia
Image credit: Ashwin Vaswani
As Australia witnesses a surge in the number of Delta variant cases, it will allow the nation early access to the large quantity of Pfizer doses that were allocated for use in Singapore. This is vital to expedite the country’s vaccination programme in the wake of a severe outbreak.
At the time of writing, Australia records 1220 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing its total number to 53,851.
Australia’s vaccination rate
Image credit: Jesse Paul
Australia has fully vaccinated 35% of its population over the age of 16. This accounts for 7,222,529 Australians. Also, 58.7% of its population has received at least one dose of the COVID-10 vaccine regime.
“Our two countries enjoy a warm and long-standing friendship, and this is another example of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” shared Prime Minister Lee Hsien Leong in a Facebook post.
“Glad to support their efforts to get Australians vaccinated as soon as possible. Countries must be united in the battle to quell the pandemic, so that we can all move into the new normal. Singapore is ready to do our bit,” he added.
Also read: Singapore-Australia Travel Bubble: Students to Test Pilot Scheme
This gesture shows the need for countries to join hands in order to combat COVID-19. Way to go, Singapore!
