Seniors make up majority of Singaporean adults whose COVID-19 vaccination status has lapsed

SINGAPORE: Seniors make up the majority of Singaporean adults whose COVID-19 vaccination status has lapsed, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in Parliament on Monday (Feb 28).

Almost half of the 21,800 people aged 18 and above whose COVID-19 vaccination status lapsed on Feb 14 are Singaporeans. Among the Singaporeans not boosted, the majority are seniors aged 60 years and above, said Mr Ong.

“A common reason for not getting booster jabs is that they seldom go out, they feel adequately protected with their primary vaccination and they prefer to delay their booster vaccination,” he said.

Mr Ong was responding to Member of Parliament Joan Pereira (PAP-Tanjong Pagar), who had asked about the general profile of people whose vaccination status had lapsed, whether the Ministry had information on why they did not take their booster jabs and whether there were plans to reach out to those people.

Aside from Singaporeans, 38 per cent of those whose vaccination status had lapsed are work pass holders and 14 per cent are permanent residents, he said.

“MOH is unable to ascertain the reasons for them not getting their boosters, but indications are that many are overseas,” he said.

Mr Ong said the health ministry will continue to encourage individuals through SMS reminders to take their booster doses. The ministry will also continue to make vaccinations as convenient as possible, and deploy mobile vaccination teams to the heartlands to reach out “especially to seniors”.