Over 100,000 kids aged 5 to 11 in Singapore have received first Covid-19 vaccine dose, Latest Singapore News - The New Paper
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Over 100,000 kids aged 5 to 11 in Singapore have received first Covid-19 vaccine dose

This article is more than 12 months old

More than 100,000 children aged five to 11 had received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by Saturday (Jan 15).

The Ministry of Education (MOE) said that about two in five Primary 1 to 6 pupils in MOE schools had received the jab.

There had also been "good uptake of the sibling walk-in arrangement", with more than 2,800 children vaccinated under this arrangement from Monday to Thursday in its first week of implementation.

The arrangement, announced on Jan 3, allows siblings aged five to 11 to receive their Covid-19 vaccination jabs at the same time, under one appointment slot.

"On average, this meant that for every five vaccination appointments made, we saw one sibling who had walked in for their jab," MOE said.

The next phase of the paediatric vaccination roll-out will start on Monday, with children progressively receiving their second dose of the vaccine.

In addition, mobile vaccination teams comprising staff from the Health Promotion Board, who are experienced in supporting students with special needs, have been progressively deployed to 12 out of 20 special education schools since Wednesday.

Two in three students in special education schools have registered for vaccination to date, said MOE.

"Vaccination will help to protect our children as well as those around us who are unable to get vaccinated against Covid-19 for medical reasons," it said.

"We strongly encourage parents or guardians to get their medically eligible child or ward vaccinated as soon as possible, ahead of the upcoming festive period where there might be more social gatherings, and to be as prepared as possible for the expected Omicron wave."

VACCINEScovid-19CHILDREN AND YOUTH