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SINGAPORE – Seniors aged 60 to 69 can now expect to receive their vaccine doses ahead of schedule, while the vaccine will also be rolled out to essential personnel involved in critical functions such as postmen, delivery personnel, news reporters and staff from banking operations, the Ministry said. of Health (MINSA) on Monday (March 8).
While older people were initially expected to begin vaccination around the end of March, this will come early as more vaccine supplies arrive. People aged 60 to 69 will receive their invitation letters in the next few days.
Each letter will have a web link that can be used to register for the vaccination, after which a text message with a unique booking link will be sent to the respective mobile phones for them to book an appointment. Alternatively, they can also book their appointments at any community center / club across the island.
Vaccination for people 70 and older began across the island on February 22, and more than 55,000 of them have received their first dose. Another 96,000 older people have made appointments to receive their first dose in the coming weeks.
Teachers to be vaccinated
Meanwhile, the vaccine will be progressively offered to more than 150,000 people in educational institutions starting Wednesday. In addition to teachers and educators, the exercise will also include other people who come into regular contact with students, such as administrative staff, adjunct staff, and canteen / bookstore vendors.
“We will start with those who work in preschools, national schools, ITE and polytechnics, and will progressively extend to those who work in other educational institutions,” said the Ministry of Health.
The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine have been licensed for use in Singapore in people 18 years of age and older and 16 years of age and older, respectively.
The Committee of Experts on COVID-19 Vaccination, which was commissioned by the Ministry of Health to make recommendations to the government on the country’s vaccination strategy, had previously called for prioritizing health workers, household staff from elders and residents, as well as those involved in pandemic operations.
The Expert Committee also recommended prioritizing front-line workers who are at increased risk of exposure.
More Eligible Essential Personnel
Along with other government agencies, the Ministry of Health has been progressively offering vaccination to personnel providing essential services.
These include security agencies responsible for safeguarding borders and law and order, including Immigration and Control Points Authority (ICA) officers who handle border controls; those involved in the provision of public services such as water, energy and telecommunications services; and workers who ensure the supply of food and basic household items.
“As more vaccine stocks arrive, we will expand vaccination to essential personnel involved in other critical functions, such as postmen and delivery personnel, as well as to news reporters and banking operations personnel involved in critical operations of the banking and financial systems, “the ministry said. .
The vaccination was previously offered to groups that are at higher risk of exposure, such as active taxi drivers and private rental car drivers. In the future, vaccination will be offered to those who have multiple points of contact with many community members, such as street vendors and booth attendants, as well as those who serve in the food delivery industry.
Relevant government agencies will inform eligible individuals of the vaccination schedule and will receive a personalized text message from the Ministry of Health notifying them to book their vaccination appointments at vaccina.gov.sg.
As of March 7, Singapore has administered more than 596,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine. In total, about 379,000 people have received at least the first dose and more than 217,000 have received their second dose.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force (MTF) on coronavirus, told Parliament last week that only vaccines that meet strict safety and efficacy standards will be used for residents of Singapore.
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