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According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), Singapore will start subsidizing shingles vaccinations from September 2025. Citizens and permanent residents will be eligible for a means-tested subsidy of up to 75% for the shingles vaccine, the only approved shingles vaccine in the country.
Why get vaccinated? Reduces the risk of severe pain and long-term nerve damage (postherpetic neuralgia), Reduces the chances of repeated outbreaks, and Protects vulnerable groups, especially the elderly.
Lower costs for seniors and qualified individuals
Seniors from the Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation who contributed to Singapore's early development will receive additional subsidies for outpatient vaccinations.
With these subsidies, Singaporeans will pay between S$75 and S$300 (about US$55.5 to US$222) for a full two-dose vaccine.
Permanent residents will pay around S$450 for the entire course.
Previously, the vaccine cost around S$900 before the subsidy.
MediSave to cover vaccine costs from 2026
From 2026, individuals can use their MediSave accounts, a national medical savings scheme, to cover the cost of vaccines after the subsidy.
Why it matters: Shingles and its impact
Up to 30,000 people in Singapore are infected with shingles every year, with some experiencing multiple outbreaks.
Shingles can cause severe pain and long-term complications, making vaccination an important preventive measure.
Government and Industry Cooperation
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said many seniors had expressed concerns about the high cost of the vaccine. After talks with manufacturer GSK, the company. In a statement to the media, GSK Singapore General Manager Rakhi Sappi said the MOH's decision to extend the subsidy for the shingles vaccine to eligible Singaporeans and PRs and to extend MediSave's use "ensures that people in Singapore have access to the vaccine, where and when they need it, and contributes to an increasingly healthy society".Xinhua
Singapore is leading the way in the Asia-Pacific to offer a comprehensive shingles vaccination programme for adults aged 60 years or older as well as immunocompromised adults aged 18 to 59 years. This initiative marks a significant milestone in public health, setting what could be a new standard for shingles preventive care across the region
Rakhi Sappi, GSK Singapore General Manager
Key takeaways
Subsidized shingles vaccination starting in September 2025.
Eligible citizens pay a minimum of S$75, while permanent residents pay S$450.
Medisave can be used to pay for vaccines from 2026 onwards.
Shingles affects 30,000 people in Singapore annually.
From 2026, the MOH will allow the remaining out-of-pocket payments to be made using existing Medisave schemes, "so the cash payment could potentially be zero dollars", Mr. Ong said.
References:
Xinhua News Agency. "Singapore to Subsidize Shingles Vaccine Starting in September." Xinhua, February 11, 2025. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://english.news.cn/20250211/5a853f8d384c4ef6839e5a76ec18a0c8/c.html.
The Straits Times. "Subsidies Allowed for Shingles Vaccine from September." The Straits Times, February 10, 2025. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/subsidies-allowed-for-shingles-vaccine-from-september.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Muhammad Faisal/MSM)
