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SINGAPORE â People in Singapore will lose their fully vaccinated status after 270 days if they do not take booster shots, the government announced on Wednesday.
Protection from the primary series vaccination wanes and is "substantially reduced six months after the last dose," Singapore's health ministry said in a press release.
The policy will be in force from Feb. 14, 2022.
The Southeast Asian country is not the first to take such a step. Similar policies have been in place in Israel and Bahrain since October.
In December, top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNBC that the definition of fully vaccinated could change.
Boosters increase protection against infection and severe illness from the omicron variant, the ministry said. Around 87% of Singapore's total population has received two shots under the national vaccination program, and 42% of the population has received booster shots.
"Fully vaccinated" statuses will expire after around nine months, but Singapore recommends booster shots to those 18 and above after five months.
"Persons aged 18 years and above who completed a primary vaccination series should receive a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine no later than 270 days after the last dose in the primary vaccination series," said the press release.
That means that people who opted for non-mRNA vaccines will need to receive an mRNA shot as a booster.
"For this group, most will not be due for [boosters] for some time," the health ministry said. "We expect the Novavax vaccine, which is a non-mRNA vaccine, to be available to them as an option by then."
Those who take non-mRNA vaccines in Singapore have to take three doses as part of the primary vaccination series.
The first two doses are taken 21 days apart, and people are eligible for a third shot three months after the second dose. The fully vaccinated status will expire 270 days after the third dose.
â This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
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