Mobile vaccination teams to help get more seniors jabbed
Up to 10 teams will be at selected CCs not being used as vaccination centres, residents' committee centres
Mobile vaccination teams will be deployed at heartland locations near where seniors live to make it convenient for them to get their Covid-19 jabs, the Ministry of Health said yesterday.
Up to 10 teams will be at selected community clubs or centres (CCs) that are not already being used as vaccination centres, or at residents' committee centres at housing blocks.
This is part of the Government's plan to intensify outreach to unvaccinated seniors.
The ministry said such outreach is critical as seniors are the most vulnerable group and at higher risk of becoming dangerously ill if infected with the virus.
"With age and possibly underlying health conditions, their immune system is weaker. Without vaccination, they may not be able to fight off the virus," it added.
Currently, seven in 10 seniors aged 70 and above have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
The deployment of the mobile vaccination teams will be done in phases. They will be at each location for a few days to a week, before moving to other locations.
Deployment started last week at Anchorvale CC and will continue at Kallang, Whampoa, Changi Simei and Paya Lebar Kovan CCs in the coming weeks.
They will return to the original location to administer the second dose to ensure both doses are received at the same place.
Seniors aged 60 and above may walk into any existing vaccination centre with their identity card without an appointment to get their first jab, or at any participating public health preparedness clinics (PHPCs) or polyclinics.
REACH OUT
The Health Ministry is calling on primary care providers - including private general practitioners and polyclinics - to help reach out to unvaccinated seniors.
The number of PHPCs providing the jabs as part of the national vaccination programme will be expanded, starting with those in Bedok, Bukit Merah, Hougang and Tampines in the coming weeks.
All primary care providers have been asked to help persuade unvaccinated seniors who are their regular patients to get inoculated.
Staff and volunteers from the Silver Generation Office (SGO) will also be reaching out to this group of seniors through house visits and engagement dialogues to address concerns.
They can advise on the nearest vaccination locations and assist those who require help getting to the centres, or arrange for those who are homebound to be vaccinated at home.
Homebound individuals can request home vaccination by calling the SGO hotline on 1800-650-6060.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
