SINGAPORE APPROVES MODERNA VACCINE

Singapore's Health Services Authority (HSA) on Wednesday, authorized the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Moderna, making it the second jab to be approved in the city-state, Simon Roughneen reported for Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa).

"The available clinical data found that the benefits of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the known risks," the HSA said, adding that the vaccine showed 94 per cent efficacy.

Welcoming the go-ahead, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday that while "vaccination will be voluntary," it would "strongly encourage everyone who is medically eligible" to get inoculated.

The ministry had announced last week that anyone suffering severe vaccine side-effects would be entitled to financial compensation.

Singapore approved the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in December, with around 175,000 people having since received the first of two injections, according to the Health Ministry.

Around 6,000 people, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, have been given a second dose. The ministry expects the first Moderna vaccines to arrive "around March" - as long as there are "no disruptions to the shipment schedule."

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