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SINGAPORE: Singapore is making “steady progress” on its COVID-19 vaccination program, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Friday (March 5).
Speaking in Parliament during his ministry’s Supply Committee debate, he said that as of Thursday, more than 350,000 Singaporeans had received the first dose of their vaccine, including about 80 percent of healthcare workers.
In all, 215,000 Singaporeans have received their second dose.
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COVID-19 vaccines in Singapore began in December last year, and a nurse from the National Center for Infectious Diseases received the first vaccine.
Singapore has so far authorized the use of two COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Singapore received the shipment of a third vaccine from Sinovac Biotech of China in February, but at the time, it had not been authorized for use in the country.
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Gan also said that more than 40,000 people aged 70 and over have received their first dose as of Thursday. The program will be rolled out soon for people 60 and older, he said.
COVID-19 vaccines for people aged 70 and over started in Singapore last month.
Mr. Gan thanked the People’s Association and Silver Generation Ambassadors community volunteers for reaching out to seniors and helping them make appointments.
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