Omicron Variant Found In 2 People With Booster Shots In Singapore

Omicron Variant Found In 2 People With Booster Shots In Singapore. 

Singapore: Two Singapore residents might have contracted the Omicron variant despite having received Covid-19 booster shots in situations that could provide insight into the protection provided by an additional dose of the vaccine.

A woman aged 24 who works as a passenger service employee has reported an initial positive test for the omicron. This is the first local case of this variant reported by the health ministry in a statement late on Thursday. 

The other person is an imported case after returning from Germany through the vaccination-free travel lane on 6 December. Both received three doses of vaccines, the ministry stated.

Last week, Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE announced that preliminary laboratory studies suggest that the third dose of their Covid-19 vaccine could be required to neutralize the Omicron variant. 

The researchers from BioNTech SE discovered a 25-fold decrease in neutralizing antibodies fighting the variant compared to the original strain when people received only two shots. 

However, the booster shot additional dose of the vaccine brought protection to levels comparable to the original two-dose regimen.

“Given its high transmissibility and spread to many parts of the world, we should expect to find more omicron cases at our borders and also within our community,” Singapore’s health ministry stated.

Both patients are recuperating isolated at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases. In addition, all contacts with close contact are placed in 10 days of quarantine in designated locations, the ministry stated.

The worker at the airport was checked as part of weekly tests for border workers. According to the announcement, the worker was not symptomatic after being identified by the tests. 

In the second, the patient was 46 years old and had not been positive on a PCR test upon arriving. But she experienced a runny nose the next day. 

She sought medical attention the following day after she was positive for the test.

Singapore has seen a dramatic decline in community-wide cases in the last month, along with a substantial decrease in hospital burdens. 

Singapore has one of the top vaccination rates as per data collected by Bloomberg. 87% of the population is fully vaccinated, and 96% of those who qualify are fully inoculated. 

The majority use Pfizer as well as Moderna. A total of 29% have received booster shots. In addition, government officials have confirmed that jabs for kids aged 5-11 will be available soon.