Singapore: Through a program of the Health Promotion Board (HPB), more than 2,000 elderly people have been successfully recommended to receive the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
An HPB spokesperson told CNA on Friday (October 29) that more than 1,740 of them had completed their vaccination.
According to the plan, those who recommend COVID-19 vaccination for seniors 60 years and older who have not been vaccinated will receive an electronic voucher of S$30.
In response to inquiries about the implementation of the plan, the spokesperson said that once HPB can verify that the elderly have been fully vaccinated, vouchers will be issued to recommenders.
According to the HealthHub website, the “Let our seniors get vaccinated” program was launched on August 13 and will last until November 30.
HPB stated that as of October 28, a total of 1,514 e-vouchers had been issued. The spokesperson added that most elderly people are introduced by their immediate family members, while other elderly people are introduced by relatives, friends and neighbors.
Vouchers can be used for companies participating in the HPB rewards program, including FairPrice, Cathay Cinema, Sakae Sushi and LiHo Tea.
The spokesperson added that the adoption was “very positive and encouraging.”
She said: “We hope that through this program, with the care and support of the recommender, we can encourage more elderly people to get vaccinated, so as to better protect themselves and take care of their health.”
Vouchers are used to “cover costs”
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its September written response to parliamentary questions whether the voucher discriminates against those who persuade their older parents to get vaccinated earlier. The Ministry of Health (MOH) stated that each referrer will receive S$30 Vouchers to cover the costs involved and provide support to the elderly during the entire vaccination process, such as accompany the elderly to the vaccination center.
It pointed out that in the initial stage of the vaccination program, many elderly people took the initiative to vaccinate.
“However, as we obtain a higher vaccination rate, the elderly who have not yet been vaccinated need further persuasion and assurance,” the ministry said.
Liang Henan, an infectious disease expert at Elizabeth Novena Hospital, said these measures are helpful.
He said: “Any measure, any measure, even if I can get a person to get more vaccines, it will help the hospital.”
He said that vaccinated elderly people are more likely to recover than people of similar age who have not been vaccinated, and emphasized that vaccinations will save intensive care resources.
According to the latest data on vaccinations for the elderly provided by the second minister of the Ministry of Health Masagos Zulkifli on October 25, 87% of the elderly over the age of 70 have been vaccinated.
The need for vaccination
The government has repeatedly emphasized that the elderly need to be vaccinated because they face a higher risk of serious illness if they contract COVID-19.
Associate Professor McKennis, director of medical services at the Ministry of Health, said at a press conference last Saturday that due to age and chronic diseases, the elderly are at higher risk of requiring intensive care or death.
He said that the risk of unvaccinated elderly people requiring intensive care or dying over the age of 80 is 21.7%, compared with 3% in the vaccinated group.
Associate Professor Mai added that the risk of supplemental oxygen for people over 80 who have not been vaccinated is 52.7%, compared with 13% for the vaccinated group.
He said that young people aged 60 to 69 are also at higher risk. The risk of unvaccinated people requiring intensive care or death was 27.8%, while the risk of the vaccinated group was 2.1%.
The Ministry of Health also stated that unvaccinated seniors, who make up about 1.5% of the total population, account for two-thirds of COVID-19 deaths and intensive care unit (ICU) cases.
According to the latest data from the Ministry of Health, as of Wednesday, 84% of the population had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 85% of the population had received at least one dose.
The government also encourages older people to get booster shots—eligible seniors aged 60 and over can go to vaccination centers for vaccination without making an appointment.
