Eligible seniors can walk in for COVID-19 booster shot, no appointment needed: MOH

SINGAPORE: Eligible seniors will be able to get their COVID-19 booster shots without the need for an appointment from Friday (Oct 1). 

These individuals must be aged 60 years and above, and must have completed their second vaccine dose on Apr 1 this year or earlier, said the Ministry of Health (MOH). 

All eligible seniors who are Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders will be able to walk into any vaccination centre, polyclinic or participating Public Health Preparedness Clinic (PHPC) for their shot. 

This is to “make it more convenient for our seniors to receive their booster dose”, MOH said in a news release. 

“Other seniors aged 60 and above will be eligible to walk into any of these vaccination sites for their booster doses once they meet the recommended window of six months after their second dose,” it added.

MOH said it has invited about 500,000 eligible seniors to receive their booster shots as of Wednesday.

A total of 215,729 have already received their shots while another 119,000 have booked their appointments.

The ministry began offering COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to seniors from Sep 15.

“We urge all seniors to who are eligible for the booster programme to step forward to receive their booster dose,” it said.

“Data from Israel’s nationwide booster vaccination rollout shows that a vaccine booster dose in persons aged 60 years and above maintain strong protection against COVID-19 without additional safety concerns.”

Singapore has fully vaccinated 82 per cent of its population under the national vaccination programme as of Wednesday, while 85 per cent have received at least one dose.