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Previously, the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) announced that those who are medically ineligible for all Covid-19 vaccines under the National Vaccination Programme (NVP) will be exempted from Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS).

On Nov. 8, the MTF gave further details on the exemption.

From Dec. 1

This VDS concession for medically ineligible individuals will take effect from Dec. 1.

In announcing that the government will be taking a stronger stance against those who choose not to be vaccinated, the MTF said they recognise that there are a few individuals who are medically ineligible for all Covid-19 vaccines under the NVP.

From Nov. 15, such individuals can visit any General Practitioner (GP) clinic, or public or private healthcare institution to be certified as medically ineligible, subject to certain criteria.

Who can be certified as medically ineligible?

Only the following individuals will be certified as medically ineligible for all Covid-19 vaccines under the NVP:

• Persons aged 18 years (based on date of birth) and above who were unable to complete their vaccination regime due to allergies or a previous severe adverse reaction to all NVP vaccines, namely, Pfizer BioNTech/ Comirnaty, Moderna and Sinovac-CoronaVac.
• Persons below 18 years of age, who were unable to complete the vaccination regime due to allergies or a severe adverse reaction to a previous dose of a PSAR-authorised mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, and unable to take the Sinovac- CoronaVac vaccine.
• Persons with/under the following condition(s)/ treatment: Transplant within past three months, aggressive immunotherapy, active cancer on treatment.

They will be issued with a standard paper memo, which should be presented along with a government-issued photo identification card, in order to be exempted from VDS.

Settings with VDS include dining-in at Food & Beverage establishments including hawker centres and coffee shops, mask-off personal care services (e.g. facials and saunas), high-intensity/ mask-off sports/ exercise activities and classes, mask-off arts classes (e.g. classes involving singing and wind instruments) and venues like cinemas and shopping malls.

To be reflected on TraceTogether App

The Ministry of Health (MOH) is also working with GovTech to reflect the medical ineligibility status on individuals’ TraceTogether App.

This is so they are able to pass through TraceTogether/Safe Entry check-in systems at VDS venues without needing to show the paper memo.

MOH will separately update healthcare establishments on the certification process.

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Top image via Maverick Asio/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images