Certain adults are at increased risk of complications or susceptible to vaccine preventable diseases if they have not previously received the vaccination and are in contact with individuals who have the infection. Vaccinations recommended under the NAIS aim to prevent such infections among susceptible individuals and reduce complications, morbidity, and mortality.2
The NAIS was developed based on international best practices and the recommendations of the Expert Committee on Immunisation (ECI). Considerations include:
Local disease burden;
Age, occupation, pre-existing medical conditions, vaccination history;
Vaccine safety, efficacy and cost effectiveness of the vaccines in preventing infections among susceptible individuals and reducing complications, morbidity and mortality.
The NAIS is summarised in Table 1 below.1
Table 1: National Adult Immunisation Schedule
Vaccine
|
18-26 years
|
27-64 years
|
≥ 65 years
|
Influenza (INF)
|
1 dose annually or per season
|
1 dose annually or per season
|
Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV13)
|
1
|
dose
|
Pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPSV23)
|
1 or 2 doses
(depending on indication)
|
1 dose
|
Tetanus, reduced diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap)
|
1 dose during each pregnancy
|
Human papillomavirus (HPV2 or HPV4)
|
3 doses
(Females)
|
|
Hepatitis B (HepB)
|
3 doses
|
Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) (live)
|
2 doses
|
Varicella (VAR) (live)
|
2 doses
|
|
Recommended for adults who meet age requirement
|
|
Recommended for adults with specific medical condition or indication
|
|
Recommended for adults who have not been previously vaccinated, or lack evidence of past infection or immunity
|
COVID-19 Vaccinations
The Expert Committee on Immunisation (ECI) had recommended that all persons aged 60 years and above, medically vulnerable persons and residents of aged care facilities should receive an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine in 2024, around one year (and not earlier than five months) after last dose received. An additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine is encouraged for all other individuals aged 6 months and above, in particular, healthcare workers, as well as household members/caregivers of medically vulnerable individuals. Refer to MOH Circular No. 12/2024 for more details.
Other Vaccinations
For the use of other vaccinations (e.g. yellow fever for travel to endemic areas, meningococcal for Haj), please refer to the Package Insert (PI), available on the Register of Therapeutic Products (under E-services, Infosearch) on the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) website. The National Immunisation Registry (NIR) only accepts vaccination records for those under the NAIS.
Administering Vaccinations
Healthcare providers should ensure the following during the administration of any vaccine:
The vaccine is being given to the correct patient.
The vaccine is given at the appropriate time, i.e. appropriate age and interval.
The correct vaccine and diluent are given to the patient.
The appropriate dose has been measured.
The vaccine is being administered via the correct route and technique e.g. subcutaneously vs intramuscularly.
The vaccine is administered at the correct site e.g. deltoid vs anterolateral thigh.
The vaccination details should be documented in NIR and the clinic's Electronic Medical Records (EMR) accurately with the type of vaccine, diluent, dose, batch, expiry, date and time administered, route, and consent.
After the administration of vaccines, patients should be observed for any immediate post-vaccination adverse effects. Patients should also be advised to monitor for possible side effects of the vaccine once they have been discharged. Details on NAIS for the public are available at
Stay One Step Ahead with Vaccinations.
