The Government will begin to offer booster vaccinations from 9 October 2021 to healthcare workers and frontline workers who have completed vaccinations around six months ago, announced the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF).
Persons above 30 who have completed their vaccinations around six months ago will also be progressively invited to make an appointment for their booster shots.
Booster-shot eligible persons above 30 will receive an SMS with a personalised booking link to book an appointment at www.vaccine.gov.sg.
These individuals may receive their dose at any vaccination centre or participating Public Health Preparedness Clinic (PHPC).
Additionally, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is working with various institutions to progressively roll out booster vaccinations to eligible persons and staff in institutionalised settings such as prisons and residential care facilities.
The move came after MOH accepted the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination’s (EC19V) recommendation to expand the booster-dose coverage to more groups of people.
“Our healthcare and frontline workers are more likely to come into regular contact with COVID-19 cases in the course of their work and are at greater risk of infection. Persons and staff in institutionalised settings, such as prisons and residential care facilities, live in indoor settings of increased human density which are predisposed to large outbreaks of COVID-19. Expanding the booster programme to persons aged 30 and above will also help to raise the overall level of protection in the population,” said MOH.
The Government commenced the booster programme for persons aged 50 to 59 years on 3 October 2021, in addition to those aged 60 years and above.
As of 7 October 2021, almost 372,000 individuals have received their booster dose.
Some 57 per cent of eligible persons aged 50 to 59 have either booked an appointment or already received their booster dose. The percentage currently stands at 72 per cent for eligible seniors above 60.
MTF Co-Chair Gan Kim Yong thanked healthcare and frontline workers for their work and dedication over the last 30 months since the pandemic started.
“It has been a long journey, especially for you and your families. We deeply appreciate your efforts throughout this crisis. With vaccination, we can now move towards living with COVID-19. We need to be cautious, but we do not need to live in fear,” said Mr Gan.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung urged everyone in Singapore to do their part to help healthcare workers and frontliners.
"Don't leave them to carry the burden as the last line of defence. We can do our part to stand up as the first line of defence, and we can do so by cutting back on our social activities," he said.
