Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE said earlier this week that early lab studies show that a third dose of their Covid19 vaccine may be needed to neutralize the omicron variant.
Two Singapore residents may have contracted the omicron variant even after receiving booster shots of Covid19, in cases that could shed light on the protection offered by a third dose of the vaccine. it would be the first local case of the city-state variant, the health ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
The second person is considered an imported case after returning from Germany via the vaccinated traffic route on December 6. Both had received a third dose of the vaccine, the ministry said. Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE said earlier this week that initial lab studies show that a third dose of their Covid19 vaccine may be needed to neutralize the omicron variant.
The company’s researchers observed a 25-fold reduction in neutralizing antibodies that fight the variant, compared to the original strain of the virus, in people who received only two injections. However, boosted with an additional injection of the vaccine and at a level similar to the initial two-dose regimen.
“Considering its high transmissibility and prevalence in many parts of the world, we should expect to find more cases of omicron at our borders and also within our community,” the health ministry said Singapore.
The two people are recovering in isolation at the National Center for Infectious Diseases, and all close contacts will be placed in a 10-day quarantine at designated facilities, the ministry said. The airport worker had been tested as part of the weekly tests for frontline border workers. He was asymptomatic when detected by testing, the statement said. the second, the 46-year-old man tested negative with a polymerase chain reaction test on arrival. However, she developed a runny nose the next day and saw a doctor the next day when she tested positive.
Singapore has seen a sharp drop in community cases over the past month, as well as a significant decrease in hospital costs. The city-state has one of the best vaccination rates in the world, according to data compiled by Bl oomberg. 87% of the total population are fully vaccinated, while 96% of eligible people are fully vaccinated, most with Pfizer or Moderna. About 29% also received booster shots.Government officials stated that JABs for whom 511 will be proposed soon.
