Infectious Diseases (Mass Gathering Testing for Coronavirus Disease 2019) (Amendment No. 13) Regulations 2021

No. S 908

Infectious Diseases Act

(CHAPTER 137)

Infectious Diseases
(Mass Gathering Testing for
Coronavirus Disease 2019)
(Amendment No. 13) Regulations 2021

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 73(1) of the Infectious Diseases Act, the Minister for Health makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations are the Infectious Diseases (Mass Gathering Testing for Coronavirus Disease 2019) (Amendment No. 13) Regulations 2021 and come into operation on 1 December 2021.

Amendment of regulation 2

2. Regulation 2 of the Infectious Diseases (Mass Gathering Testing for Coronavirus Disease 2019) Regulations 2021 (G.N. No. S 273/2021) (called in these Regulations the principal Regulations) is amended —

(a)

by deleting the word “or” at the end of paragraph (a) of the definition of “cleared status” in paragraph (1);

(b)

by inserting the word “or” at the end of paragraph (b) of the definition of “cleared status” in paragraph (1), and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraph:

“(c)	a cleared status (special) that is current;”;

(c)

by deleting the words “or 7(2)” in the definition of “cleared status certificate” in paragraph (1) and substituting the words “, 7(2) or 7A(2), (3) or (4)”;

(d)

by inserting, immediately after the definitions of “cleared status (general)” and “cleared status (limited)” in paragraph (1), the following definition:

“ “cleared status (special)” has the meaning given by regulation 7A;”;

(e)

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “entrant” in paragraph (1), the following definition:

“ “nationwide approved vaccine” means any of the following approved vaccines:

(a)	Tozinameran (Pfizer‑BioNTech COVID‑19 vaccine or Comirnaty COVID‑19 vaccine);
(b)	Moderna COVID‑19 vaccine;
(c)	Sinovac‑Coronavac COVID‑19 vaccine;”;

(f)

by deleting the words “, in relation to an approved vaccine,” in the definition of “vaccinated” in paragraph (1);

(g)

by deleting the words “the approved vaccine” in the definition of “vaccinated” in paragraph (1) and substituting the words “an approved vaccine or a combination of approved vaccines”; and

(h)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph (3), the following paragraph:

“(4) To avoid doubt, for the purpose of determining whether an individual is vaccinated, any amendment to the First Schedule which inserts, or deletes and substitutes, any vaccine in the First Schedule applies in relation to any individual who is administered that vaccine even before the date the amendment to that Schedule comes into operation.”.

Amendment of regulation 6

3. Regulation 6(1) of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting the words “by the Director”.

New regulation 7A

4. The principal Regulations are amended by inserting, immediately after regulation 7, the following regulation:

“Meaning of “cleared status (special)”

7A.—(1) For the purposes of these Regulations, an individual is treated as having a cleared status (special) only if he or she is and to the extent certified under this regulation as having a cleared status (special).

(2) Where the Director or a legally qualified medical practitioner diagnoses that an individual (of any age) without a cleared status (general) that is current, has a severe immunocompromising condition, or is undergoing or about to undergo an immunosuppressive therapy, anticipated to affect the suitability of the individual to be vaccinated against a COVID‑19 infection using the nationwide approved vaccines, because the individual —

(a)	has undergone an organ transplant and is or was a recipient of an organ of a human body;
(b)	is undergoing aggressive immunotherapy;
(c)	is undergoing or is about to undergo active cancer treatment; or
(d)	has undergone active cancer treatment,

the Director or legally qualified medical practitioner (as the case may be) may grant a certificate stating that the individual has a cleared status (special) for a period corresponding to the period of unsuitability to be so vaccinated —

(e)

starting the date the individual is so diagnosed; and

(f)

ending when the period specified in the certificate expires, being no longer than the applicable period as follows:

(i)	for an individual mentioned in sub‑paragraph (a) — 3 months after the date of the individual’s organ transplant operation;
(ii)	for an individual mentioned in sub‑paragraph (b) or (c) — 365 days after the individual is diagnosed as having a severe immunocompromising condition, or undergoing or about to undergo an immunosuppressive therapy, anticipated to affect the suitability of the individual to be vaccinated against a COVID‑19 infection using the nationwide approved vaccines;
(iii)	for an individual mentioned in sub‑paragraph (d) — 3 months after the date of the last occasion when the individual underwent that active cancer treatment.

(3) Where the Director or a legally qualified medical practitioner diagnoses that an individual who is at least 18 years of age has a medical contraindication to vaccination using every nationwide approved vaccine because the individual has or is assessed to be at greater risk of developing —

(a)	an allergic reaction; or
(b)	a severe adverse reaction that is not an allergic reaction,

if administered with a dose of any of the nationwide approved vaccines, the Director or legally qualified medical practitioner (as the case may be) may grant a certificate stating that the individual has a cleared status (special) for a period —

(c)	starting the date the individual is so diagnosed; and
(d)	ending when the period specified in the certificate expires, being no longer than 365 days after that diagnosis.

(4) Where the Director or a legally qualified medical practitioner diagnoses that an individual who is at least 12 years of age but below 18 years of age has a medical contraindication to vaccination using Tozinameran (Pfizer‑BioNTech COVID‑19 vaccine or Comirnaty COVID‑19 vaccine) because the individual has or is assessed to be at greater risk of developing —

(a)	an allergic reaction; or
(b)	a severe adverse reaction that is not an allergic reaction,

if administered with a dose of Tozinameran (Pfizer‑BioNTech COVID‑19 vaccine or Comirnaty COVID‑19 vaccine), the Director or legally qualified medical practitioner (as the case may be) may grant a certificate stating that the individual has a cleared status (special) for a period —

(c)

starting the date the individual is so diagnosed; and

(d)

ending on whichever of the following first occurs:

(i)	when the period specified in the certificate expires, being no longer than 365 days after that diagnosis;
(ii)	the individual attains 18 years of age.

(5) To avoid doubt —

(a)	the period in paragraph (2), (3) or (4) may consist of a period before 1 December 2021; and
(b)	the Director or a legally qualified medical practitioner may grant more than one certificate under paragraph (2), (3) or (4) in respect of the same individual upon the expiry of an earlier certificate granted to that individual.

(6) The Director may cancel any certificate granted under this regulation stating that an individual has a cleared status (special) if —

(a)

before the end of the period specified in paragraph (2), (3) or (4) which is applicable to the individual —

(i)	the individual undergoes an approved test that is a polymerase chain reaction test; and
(ii)	the individual’s test result shows the presence of SARS‑CoV‑2 in that individual and that is not an atypical finding for SARS‑CoV‑2; or

(b)

the Director is satisfied that it is the interest of the health and safety of the individual to do so.”.

Amendment of regulation 8A

5. Regulation 8A of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph (3), the following paragraph:

“(3A) For the purposes of these Regulations, an individual who has a cleared status (special) because he or she is granted a certificate under regulation 7A(2), (3) or (4) does not have a cleared status (special) that is current —

(a)	after the end of the period referred to in and applicable to the individual under regulation 7A(2), (3) or (4), as the case may be;
(b)	during any suspended status interval, even if that interval lies within the period referred to in and applicable to the individual under regulation 7A(2), (3) or (4); or
(c)	after the cancellation under regulation 7A(6) of the certificate.”; and

(b)

by deleting the words “or 7(2)” in paragraph (4) and substituting the words “, 7(2) or 7A(2), (3) or (4)”.

[G.N. Nos. S 310/2021; S 324/2021; S 367/2021; S 396/2021; S 513/2021; S 542/2021; S 590/2021; S 620/2021; S 682/2021; S 768/2021; S 774/2021; S 863/2021]

Made on 29 November 2021.

NG HOW YUE

Permanent Secretary
(Health Development),
Ministry of Health,
Singapore.

[AG/LEGIS/SL/137/2020/13 Vol. 1]

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