The Health Ministry (MOH) has approved financial aid worth S$782,000 to 144 people who got the Covid-19 vaccine and developed medically significant serious side effects.

Two individuals received S$225,000 each, the highest possible payout under the government’s Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme (Vifap), MOH said on Aug. 17 in response to media queries.

One of the cases was the 16-year-old boy who received his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine and collapsed at home following a gym weightlifting session six days later on July 3.

He developed acute severe myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, that led to a cardiac arrest.

The myocarditis was likely a serious adverse event caused by the vaccine, the ministry had said.

MOH added that his condition may have been aggravated by his strenuous lifting of weights and high consumption of caffeine through energy drinks and supplements.

The teen will be discharged in the coming weeks.

MOH did not provide details on the other case.

Goodwill programme

The Vifap programme provides goodwill financial assistance for affected individuals, in the rare event of serious side effects that are assessed to be related to Covid-19 vaccines administered in Singapore, MOH said previously.

Vifap will give a greater peace of mind for those taking the vaccination, the ministry added, but it expects "few to need this”.

MOH's website stated that the amount disbursed through the programme is fixed and dependent on the severity of the side effect.

Cases that result in death or permanent severe disability would get a payout of S$225,000.

Those requiring admission to high dependency or intensive care, with subsequent recovery, would get S$10,000.

Those who require inpatient hospitalisation and medical intervention, with subsequent recovery, would get S$2,000.

MOH also said the amounts are not meant to reimburse medical costs associated with the side effect.

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