The Straits Times
SINGAPORE - The first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine has landed in Singapore, a crucial first step to vaccinate the population.
The vaccine - the first from Pfizer to arrive in Asia - was carried by a Singapore Airlines (SIA) Boeing 747-400 freighter, SQ7979.
The flight had departed from Brussels, Belgium, on Sunday (Dec 20) and landed at Changi Airport at about 7.30pm on Monday (Dec 21).
The shipment was prioritised for loading into the aircraft in Brussels, as well as during unloading in Singapore, SIA said.
Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung, Mr Kevin Shum, the director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and the chief executives of Changi Airport Group and SIA were among those who turned up at the airport to witness the arrival of the vaccine.
In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he was delighted to see the arrival of the first shipment of vaccines and thanked various agencies and workers that had made this possible, including the Health Sciences Authority, Ministry of Health, public servants and logistics workers. It s been a long and arduous year. I hope this news will give Singaporeans cheer this festive season, and reason to be optimistic for 2021.
Speaking to reporters at the facility, Mr Ong said: We are ready to (bring in more vaccines) and a lot of preparation work has gone into making this as smooth as possible.
The first shipment of Covid-19 vaccine arrives in Singapore on Dec 21, 2020.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
The first shipment of Covid-19 vaccine arrives in Singapore on Dec 21, 2020.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
The first shipment of Covid-19 vaccine arrives in Singapore on Dec 21, 2020.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
The Republic has also beefed up its capacity to store and transport Covid-19 vaccines.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
(From right) Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung, SIA chief executive Goh Choon Phong and Changi Airport Group CEO Lee Seow Hiang take a wefie at Changi Airport where the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine shipment landed on Dec 21, 2020.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
2020/12/18 12:53 (Wikimedia Commons, Needpix.com photos) (Wikimedia Commons, Needpix.com photos) TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Singapore on Friday (Dec. 18) opened up to visitors from Taiwan for the first time since the start of the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic, making it only the seventh country or region to which Singapore has fully opened its borders. People in Taiwan can now visit Singapore as long as they apply for an air travel pass (ATP) before making their trip. When they arrive in Singapore, they must undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the coronavirus at the airport, and as long as the results are negative, they will be free to roam about the island without being issued a Stay-Home Notice (SHN).
Both agencies commit to expand cooperation to improve aviation safety and training, cybersecurity in air transport systems and safeguarding of public health in air travel. A second agreement on Technical Arrangement on Aviation Maintenance will streamline audits and reduce regulatory compliance costs for MRO organisations.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (UKCAA) have signed two collaborative agreements, further strengthening their bilateral partnership.
The first agreement is a technical Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cooperation across a wide range of areas in international civil aviation. In particular, both agencies commit to working together to improve aviation safety and training, and addressing emerging complex issues, such as cybersecurity in air transport systems and safeguarding of public health in air travel, including COVID-19. Under the MOU, a Bilateral Aviation Steering Committee will be est