Vaccination drive brought forward for those aged 60 to 69
Covid-19 jabs will also be extended to essential personnel and migrant workers
Covid-19 vaccinations for people aged 60 to 69, originally slated to start around the end of the month, will be brought forward as more vaccines have arrived, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday.
"All seniors in this age group will receive their invitation letters within the next few days," the ministry said.
The letter will have a weblink that can be used to register for vaccination. Once the senior registers, an SMS with a unique booking link will be sent to their mobile phone.
Appointments can also be booked at any community centre.
More than 55,000 seniors aged 70 and above have already received their first dose of the vaccine, with another 96,000 having made appointments to do so.
In total, about 379,000 individuals here have received at least the first dose. Out of this number, 217,000 have received their second dose and completed the full vaccination regimen.
With the vaccine already offered to essential services personnel such as those in security agencies responsible for safeguarding Singapore's borders and law and order, MOH said the vaccines will be extended to essential personnel involved in other critical functions as more vaccine stocks arrive.
This includes postmen, delivery staff, news reporters and bank operation employees engaged in critical banking and financial systems operations.
It will also be extended to those who have multiple touchpoints with members of the community, including those who work in hawker centres and markets, such as stallholders and stall assistants, as well as those who serve in the food delivery industry.
Vaccination will also begin for 10,000 migrant workers who have never been infected by the virus and are living in the five largest dormitories.
It will then be progressively made available to other migrant workers.
MIGRANT WORKERS
Workers who have completed their vaccination can have a lower frequency of testing, every 28 days instead of the current 14-day cycle, the ministry said.
Later this month, vaccination will be offered to selected cargo drivers and accompanying personnel who enter Singapore from Malaysia on a regular basis, in order to minimise transmission risks and ensure they can continue to deliver essential goods to Singapore safely.
Those who are eligible for vaccination will be notified via a personalised SMS from the Ministry of Trade and Industry and will be contacted for an appointment to undergo vaccination at a designated site.
MOH said from April, vaccination will be systemically extended to other segments and that all Singaporeans and long-term residents will have the chance to be vaccinated.
The ministry added: "While Covid-19 vaccination is voluntary, we strongly encourage Singaporeans and long-term residents who are medically eligible to come forward for vaccination when their turn comes. That is the only way we as a society can keep each other safe from the disease."
Over 150,000 in education sector to be offered Covid jab from tomorrow
More than 150,000 teachers and other staff in the educational sector will be offered the Covid-19 vaccine from tomorrow.
The vaccination exercise is in line with the Ministry of Health's (MOH) efforts to extend vaccination to personnel who offer essential services, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced yesterday.
"It complements existing efforts to keep our educational institutions safe, as children and the majority of our students are not yet medically eligible for vaccination," said MOE.
The exercise will cover all staff in primary schools, secondary schools, junior colleges, the Millennia Institute, special education schools, the Institute of Technical Education and polytechnics.
Those working in pre-schools licensed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and all-MOE registered kindergartens, as well as those in early intervention centres and programmes funded by or registered with ECDA for children with developmental needs aged six and under, will also be offered the vaccine.
Vaccination will be extended to staff of private schools registered with MOE that have full-time students below 18 years old, private education institutions, including international schools, with full-time students below 18 and madrasahs as well.
The vaccination exercise will also include other individuals who work in these institutions and come into regular contact with students, such as administrative staff, adjunct staff, school-based and community-based student care centre staff, special student care centre staff and canteen and bookshop vendors.
These individuals will receive SMSes to book their vaccination appointments at any of the vaccination centres, 20 polyclinics, or Public Health Preparedness Clinics operating as vaccination sites. - SAMUEL DEVARAJ
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