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The Ministry of Health (MOH) has issued a public statement regarding a police report doing the rounds on social media.

This report alleged without evidence that a 16-year-old teenager died due to receiving a Covid-19 vaccine.

The Ministry said that an autopsy has been performed, further post-autopsy tests are ongoing, and the public should refrain from unsubstantiated speculation in the meantime.

The police report

A police report was shared online regarding an alleged "unnatural death of a child". It had some information redacted.

From a screenshot of the purported report seen by Mothership, it was made by someone who gave their name as IW Yang, who claimed to be a general practitioner in Singapore, on Dec. 27.

Among the unsubstantiated allegations Yang made in the police report is linking the vaccination to the death of a teenager in Singapore.

The individual also referred to a letter written in June 2021, along with others, to Benjamin Ong, chairman of the expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination.

A Today report from May named one of the individuals behind the letter as Paul IW Yang, who could be the person behind this purported police report, and therefore the person referred to in MOH's post.

Yang later retracted the letter.

"Eleven of the doctors, excluding Dr Khoo, eventually retracted their letter and said that they were withdrawing their “humble ponderings” as some of their thoughts may be misunderstood by some laypersons.

“We will henceforth ponder in a more professional and private forum,” they said."

MOH response

MOH addressed the unsubstantiated claims and pointed out that Yang is an advocate against vaccinations.

MOH called it a "serious allegation", but nonetheless has referred the case to a coroner.

"The teenager received his vaccination 75 days before his unfortunate passing. The case has been referred to the coroner, and an autopsy was performed. Further post-autopsy tests are being performed."

MOH also urged the public not to speculate the cause of death as they wait for the results of the tests.

"Only vaccines that comply with the World Health Organization’s guidelines and meet strict standards of safety, quality and efficacy will be used in Singapore.

The Covid-19 vaccines deployed in Singapore have been assessed to be safe and efficacious by both the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the Expert Committee on Covid-19 Vaccination.

We have also put in place measures to ensure the safety of Covid-19 vaccine recipients before, during, and after vaccination."

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