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SINGAPORE: Fifty staff members at the Ren Ci Nursing Home in Bukit Batok on Monday (January 11) became some of the first community care workers in Singapore to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Staff received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and the first to receive the vaccine was the home’s assistant director of nursing, Elsie Teo, Ren Ci said in a press release.
“After almost a year of dealing with COVID-19, I am glad that we are starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel with the development of the vaccine,” said Teo, 66.
“I am grateful that we are now prioritized to get vaccinated. In addition to the safe management measures in place, it gives me added assurance that I can continue to provide safe care to residents in the nursing home. “
READ: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong receives first dose of COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech
The Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) is working closely with nursing homes to implement vaccinations for staff in the community care sector, Ren Ci said.
The vaccines were administered at home by Ren Ci’s internal team, following the safety guidelines established by the AIC and the Ministry of Health.
Ren Ci’s management held an online public meeting last week to address staff concerns about voluntary vaccination. Four out of five staff members chose to get vaccinated, said Joe Hau, executive director of Ren Ci Hospital.
READ: 1,050 Home Team Frontline Healthcare Officers to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine in Coming Weeks
Hau said community care staff have a duty to keep nursing home residents safe.
“Vaccination will also help us protect ourselves and our loved ones at home. I am pleased to share that our staff understands the importance of vaccination and we have achieved an overall vaccination rate of 80 percent. “
In response to the CNA’s inquiries, Ren Ci said the remaining 20 percent were made up of staff members with “existing health conditions” and those who were pregnant, undergoing family planning or currently breastfeeding.
Ren Ci said that staff at his Ang Mo Kio nursing home and community hospital in Novena will also be vaccinated in the coming weeks.
Established in 1994, Ren Ci Hospital is a charitable health care institution that provides medical, nursing and rehabilitative care to the elderly and people with chronic diseases.
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