KKH recruiting kids aged 5 to 11 for Covid-19 vaccine trial

SINGAPORE - A Covid-19 vaccination trial to be conducted among younger Singapore children to roll out the Pfizer vaccine has started recruiting recipients.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday (Nov 16), KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) said that it is conducting a research study to assess how children here respond to Covid-19 vaccination.

In order to be eligible to participate, the children must be aged between five and 11 years old, have had no previous Covid-19 infection and are intending to get their Covid-19 jabs.

"The data gathered from this study will help inform public health vaccination policy to protect children against Covid-19. Volunteers will be provided with reimbursement," said KKH in its post.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Monday (Nov 16) that there has been a lot of interest from parents on children's vaccines after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently authorised the use of the vaccine for this age group.

The Expert Committee on Covid-19 Vaccination will make a recommendation on whether to extend the Pfizer vaccine to children aged five to 11 in the second half of November, he added.

The vaccination trial is aimed at smoothening operations of rolling out the vaccine at scale, and to assess the suitability of a small dosage - about one-third of the regular dose - for children here.

Singapore recently inked a supply agreement with Pfizer for its paediatric vaccine meant for children aged five to 11, Mr Ong said on Monday at the multi-ministry task force press conference tackling Covid-19.

The vaccine has a different formulation from the regular one.

While it uses the same mRNA ingredient as the adult vaccine, a different buffer solution is used, so that it can be stored under more conventional cold chain requirements.

This will also make it easier to draw the required amount of vaccine from the vial.

Those interested in participating in the KKH trial can complete a short screening questionnaire here to check their child's eligiblity.

Parents or caregivers are allowed to complete the form on behalf of eligible children.

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