Pregnant women and cancer patients can be vaccinated, says MOH, Health News & Top Stories

Pregnant women and cancer patients receiving aggressive treatment are one of a subgroup of individuals who can also be vaccinated, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement yesterday.

It was noted that more people are vaccinated globally and locally, providing more evidence of the efficacy and safety of vaccine use. This is especially relevant for certain subgroups where clinical trial data were less substantive.

Health Minister On Ye Kung said, “It has become possible to carry out vaccination more comprehensively. Since the start of vaccination, some subgroups have not been included, mainly for medical reasons.” Said.

He said the Covid-19 Vaccination Expert Committee reviewed the global and local data associated with these subgroups and was pleased that vaccination was safe and effective for many of them. Stated.

Pregnant women can register and book vaccination appointments starting Friday if they belong to a population group that is eligible for vaccination. However, in order to make informed decisions, they should discuss the risks and benefits with their doctors, MOH said.

Associate Professor Kenneth Mack, director of health services in Singapore, said this applies regardless of the woman’s pregnancy stage. If the woman becomes pregnant after the first dose, she can continue with the second dose.

“Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna Covid-19 vaccine could harm pregnant women or their babies,” said MOH. “But the Commission recognizes that the amount of data collected in this population segment is still much smaller than that for the general population.”

It is also safe for breastfeeding women to be vaccinated and there is no need to interrupt breastfeeding to get a jab.

Meanwhile, cancer patients receiving aggressive treatment can also be vaccinated, the Ministry of Health said. However, they should do so in the hospital setting after being evaluated for their suitability by their treatment specialists.

Aggressive treatment includes chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation therapy that an individual has received or will receive within the next two months.

Current guidelines allow cancer patients receiving hormone therapy to continue vaccination at available vaccination sites.

MOH states: “Cancer patients receiving aggressive cancer treatment remain a vulnerable population at high risk of Covid-19 complications. Currently, the safety signals and adverse events of the mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine remain. There is no evidence of increased incidence. For this group. “

The Committee of Experts has finalized guidelines for vaccination of cancer patients under treatment, including patients who consult with private sector experts.

In addition, people with severe skin side effects, a rare drug-induced disorder, can also be vaccinated.

Such reactions include Stevens-Johnson syndrome. This is a rare and serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes. Toxic epidermal necrolysis-A reaction in which the skin blisters and peels off, which can be life-threatening. Severe hypersensitivity and rash.

These people can go to the vaccination center if they are part of a qualified group.

The Commission is also reviewing safety data for people with a history of anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can be fatal if not treated promptly so that more people can be safely vaccinated.

Mr. On said: “The Commission is considering restrictions on people who are not allergic to the mRNA vaccine or its ingredients and are allergic to other substances such as seafood, painkillers and antibiotics.”

He added that the review would take about two weeks with the aim of removing these restrictions and allowing more individuals in this group to be eligible for vaccination.

“This is a fairly large group of over 30,000 people, so lifting these restrictions would make a lot of sense,” he said.