BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – Brunei received 100,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine from Singapore on Tuesday, part of a vaccine swap agreed by the two countries.
The sultanate will return the same quantity of vaccines back to Singapore at a later date, according to respective statements released by both countries.
“This mutually beneficial arrangement enables both countries to optimise our respective schedules for vaccinating our populations against COVID-19, and is part of our broader commitment to work together with our neighbours in confronting the pandemic,” Singapore’s foreign affairs ministry said.
Speaking to the media at his daily presser, Brunei’s health minister YB Dato Hj Md Isham said the latest vaccine delivery would be used to administer booster shots to frontline workers.
Members of the public will be offered booster shots six months after their second dose.
As of September 28, 42 percent of Brunei’s population is fully vaccinated against the virus, while 63 percent have received at least one dose.
Singapore has vaccinated more than 80 percent of its population.
The island-state previously donated 100,000 doses of Moderna back in August to help ease Brunei’s vaccine shortage, as the country endures its worst COVID-19 outbreak yet.