According to the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Sunday (28 Jun), the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V) is aware of an open letter that has been posted on Facebook by a doctor calling for the vaccination of Singapore’s youths to be stopped. 

MOH added that they are closely following local and international data in order to keep its recommendations up to date.

Ultimately, MOH continues to encourage vaccination for schoolboys, saying that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks. 

The Open Letter

The open letter was uploaded to the social media platform by Dr Kho Kwang Po and it was addressed to Professor Benjamin Ong, who is the chairman of EC19V.

The letter comes after a 13-year-old boy from Saginaw county in Michigan, the United States, passed away three days after receiving his second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. It is not clear which vaccine he had received. 

The letter urges a halt in the vaccination exercise for youths in Singapore until the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other organisations are able to present more persuasive evidence for the vaccination of youths. 

MOH’s Response

MOH responded by saying that according to the social media post that had been made, the boy had died from heart failure. However, the cause of death had not been publicly released and the case is still being investigated by the US authorities. 

MOH also added that the post had pointed out recent international reports that had been made linking myocarditis (heart muscle inflammation) and the second dose of mRNA vaccines in young men. 

Singapore’s expert committee had previously pointed out the possibility of a low risk of myocarditis and pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside the heart) with regard to the second dose of mRNA vaccines.

The committee stated that this had not changed. 

There have been six cases of myocarditis and pericarditis reported among people who have been vaccinated in Singapore. Out of the six, four cases involved men aged 18 to 30 years old. 

They had reported symptoms of heart inflammation within a few days of their second dose and have since recovered.

According to the expert committee, most cases are not serious. Patients mostly recover without requiring much medical intervention and they do not suffer any long-term effects or conditions as a result. 

Although severe cases may damage the heart muscles, such cases are very rare.

According to MOH, data from the US shows that instances of myocarditis following mRNA vaccinations are few.

The ministry added that almost all of the small number of cases had been resolved with “minimal medical intervention”.

In addition, professional medical organisations remain strong supporters of vaccinating those aged 12 and beyond. 

The committee concluded that the benefits of mRNA vaccines ultimately still outweigh the risks and continues to encourage the vaccines for young men.

However, it added that strenuous physical activity should be avoided for one week after the second dose, and that medical help should be sought immediately if symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath and abnormal heartbeat occur.

Feature Image: Mahsun YILDIZ / Shutterstock.com