Influenza vaccination services offered by community pharmacists under new sandbox initiative

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has launched a new sandbox initiative to expand access to influenza vaccination within the community.  From 28 October 2024, eligible members of the public will be able to receive their annual influenza vaccinations from trained community pharmacists at three retail pharmacies, in addition to General Practitioners (GP) clinics and polyclinics.

2.            The latest influenza vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere season is now available. Receiving annual influenza vaccinations lowers the risk of serious complications, especially for the elderly and medically vulnerable populations. Individuals who have a regular GP, including those who have already enrolled in Healthier SG, are encouraged to receive their vaccinations with their primary care provider for continuity of care.

3.            Under the sandbox, trained pharmacists in the community will offer influenza vaccinations, making it easier for individuals to get their vaccinations done. In line with Healthier SG, community pharmacists who are often located within neighbourhoods can complement primary care providers in delivering patient care and improving preventive health of Singaporeans.

4.            For a start, the sandbox initiative will be launched at three retail pharmacy locations to serve around 200 individuals. This will allow MOH to further assess how pharmacists and other healthcare professionals may contribute to team-based preventive healthcare in the community. The three pharmacies are:

a)    Guardian Health & Beauty at NEX;

b)    Unity Pharmacy at Parkway Parade; and

c)    Watsons Singapore at Paragon.

Eligibility and charges

5.            Individuals aged 18 and above are eligible to be vaccinated under this sandbox, except for those with conditions detailed in Annex A.

6.            Eligible Singapore Citizens receiving influenza vaccination at a sandbox pharmacy will receive the same government subsidies as they would when they visit a Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) GP clinic. The co-payment would be capped at between $9 and $35, similar to CHAS clinics. The actual charges of vaccination at each sandbox pharmacy may vary.

Safety remains a top priority

7.            Prior to participating in the sandbox initiative, the selected retail pharmacies were inspected to ensure they have the required setup and met MOH’s requirements for a safe and conducive environment for vaccination services. Only registered pharmacists who have completed the relevant training and competency assessments are authorised to administer influenza vaccinations at the participating pharmacies. As a routine safety measure, all vaccinated individuals will be observed for 15 minutes post-vaccination, with protocols in place for pharmacists to manage and provide advice on potential side effects.

8.            MOH will monitor the vaccination uptake and feedback on the service delivery of the sandbox initiative.

9.            Concurrently, MOH will explore how pharmacists can be more involved in a team-based care model with GPs, to provide a variety of services such as vaccination, medication counselling and reconciliation, as well as smoking cessation counselling for Singaporeans. This will complement the work of GPs and the primary care healthcare team, and allow doctors to manage more complex chronic medical conditions.

Annex A

Persons who are not Eligible to Receive the Influenza Vaccine under the MOH Sandbox Initiative

The following individuals are not eligible to receive the influenza vaccine under the MOH sandbox initiatives:

• Persons with medical history of seizure;

• Persons with medical history of serious reaction after any vaccination;

• Persons with medical history of vasovagal syncope/presyncope after any injection;

• Persons with a history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome;

• Pregnant women;

• Persons who may be contraindicated for the particular vaccine as listed by the in the manufacturer’s product insert, which may include persons with any history of anaphylaxis or allergic reactions to components in the vaccines;

• Persons having fever, a respiratory infection like flu, common cold or pneumonia, or are feeling unwell; and

• Persons with thrombocytopenia or coagulation disorders, or on anticoagulant therapy (including warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants or low-molecular-weight heparin).

If these ineligible individuals are keen to be vaccinated, they may wish to consult their doctor for further advice.