ENHANCING ACCESS TO COVID-19 VACCINATIONS AND BOOSTERS

          We encourage everyone to take their vaccination and boosters as soon as they become eligible, to stay protected from severe COVID-19 infection. To further enhance access to the Novavax/Nuvaxovid vaccine, the vaccine will be offered at Jurong Polyclinic and Yishun Polyclinic from 12 August 2022. 

Enhancing Access to the Novavax/Nuvaxovid Vaccine  

2.      Jurong Polyclinic and Yishun Polyclinic are currently offering the Pfizer BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine, and will be fully converted to offer the Novavax/Nuvaxovid vaccine on 12 August 2022. These two polyclinics will continue to offer Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccinations to individuals who wish to take their second dose of their primary vaccination series or booster vaccinations until 5 August 2022.

3.      Eligible individuals who wish to receive the Novavax/Nuvaxovid vaccine may also continue to do so at the Joint Testing and Vaccination Centre (JTVC) Bishan and 20 Public Health Preparedness Clinics. Please refer to Annex A for the list of healthcare institutions offering the Novavax/Nuvaxovid vaccine. 

COVID-19 Vaccinations at All Polyclinics by Appointments Only 

4.     Over the past two weeks, daily average acute respiratory infection (ARI) attendances at our polyclinics, from both COVID-19 and other infections, have increased significantly. To preserve our polyclinics’ capacity for patients with pressing healthcare needs, individuals who wish to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations at the polyclinics will now have to book an appointment. Only seniors aged 80 years and above can continue to walk-in to receive their vaccinations.

5.     We encourage all eligible individuals to instead go to any of the 10 JTVCs located across the island for their vaccinations. No appointments are necessary for such visits. The full list of JTVCs, their locations and opening hours can be found at https://www.gowhere.gov.sg/vaccine. 

Emergency Departments are for Emergencies 

6.     Over the past two weeks, our public hospitals adult EDs handled on average about 2,500 attendances per day, compared to the usual average load of about 2,000 attendances per day. The Children’s Emergency (CE) departments at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) and National University Hospital saw on average about 680 attendances per day across both CEs in the last two weeks, up from their usual average load of about 450 attendances per day.

7.    Of these ED attendances, about 40% did not require emergency care. Such cases at the EDs divert medical care away from patients who genuinely require emergency medical attention.

8.     As such, we would like to remind the public to only seek medical treatment at hospital EDs for serious or life-threatening emergencies, such as chest pain, breathlessness and uncontrollable bleeding. This allows those with severe illness in need of emergency care to be attended to quickly and helps to preserve our hospital
capacity for those who truly need acute hospital care.

9.    Our healthcare workers continue to work very hard to ensure that patients receive the medical care they need. While higher loads and longer wait times at the EDs and polyclinics may frustrate some patients and families, we remind members of the public to treat our healthcare workers with respect, and not to harass or abuse them.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH 
22 JULY 2022