Singaporean shooter Tessa Neo is among the athletes to have received their first dose of the vaccine, and is now set to vie for a place at Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images

Edwin Tong, Singapore’s Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, has said the country will vaccinate athletes ahead of international travel for Olympic qualification events.

Tong posted on Facebook that he had joined Singapore shooters Adele Tan, Tessa Neo and Ho Xiu Yi with the trio set to receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

"Chatted with Adele, Tessa and Xiu Yi as we were being monitored post-vaccination," Tong posted.

"They will be aiming to travel to South Korea next month for the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup.

"They will also be vying for a place at the Olympics, to add to their medalling performances at the last few Southeast Asian Games and Asian Shooting Championships.

"We must support our athletes as they travel, train, and compete for Singapore on a global stage.

"We will therefore progressively arrange for our athletes and coaches to get their vaccinations ahead of their overseas travel so that they remain safe, and can focus on their competitions."

[Keeping our Athletes Safe] This morning I joined three of our Team Singapore shooters and their coach to get our first...

Posted by Edwin Tong on Tuesday, 23 February 2021

According to Yahoo Singapore, fellow shooters Martina Veloso, Teo Shun Xie and Teh Xiu Hong received their first vaccine doses earlier this month.

This came as the three athletes prepared to compete at the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi.

Badminton player Loh Kean Yew and table tennis athletes Koen Pang and Zeng Jian have also been vaccinated.

Countries such as Lithuania, Hungary, Serbia and Israel are also in the process of vaccinating their Olympic and Paralympic delegations.

Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed last week that Olympic athletes will be among the priority groups to receive vaccinations.

Other National Olympic Committees, including those in Germany, Canada, Britain and Italy, who have decided not to ask for their athletes to be given priority for vaccinations, will hope that vaccines will be available ahead of the Games.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has repeatedly said it will not jump the queue ahead of those who need a vaccination most.

The IOC has insisted vaccines will not be mandatory for athletes to compete at the Games.

Playbooks released by the IOC and the International Paralympic Committee for stakeholders such as athletes have reiterated vaccines will not be mandatory for participants to attend Tokyo 2020, with measures such as frequent testing, masks and social distancing set to be in place instead.