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In February 2025, the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Singapore announced that Shingrix will be included in the National Adult Immunisation Schedule (NAIS). With the inclusion, subsidies and MediSave usage (from mid-2026) for the vaccine will be extended to eligible Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs) at public healthcare institutions and General Practitioner (GP) clinics under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS).
The inclusion is effective from 1 September 2025. In addition to Shingrix, MoH and the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) has also included the pneumococcal vaccine, PCV20, in the NAIS from 1 September 2025.
Shingrix, a recombinant herpes zoster vaccine, is the only vaccine currently registered with the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for the prevention of shingles. Under the NAIS, Shingrix is recommended for all adults aged 60 years and above, as well as immunocompromised adults aged 18 to 59 years.
PCV20, a 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, provides protection against a wider range of pneumococcal strains. The inclusion of PCV20 in the NAIS will provide an alternative to the existing pneumococcal vaccination regimen comprising the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and/or the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23). PCV20 provides protection against seven additional pneumococcal strains compared to the existing PCV13. Under the NAIS, PCV20 is recommended for all adults aged 65 years and above, as well as adults aged 18 to 64 years who are at increased risk of developing severe pneumococcal disease.
