New walk-in system for Covid-19 vaccination starts January 25
Starting January 25, parents no longer need to pre-register their children aged 5 to 11 for Covid-19 vaccinations. A new walk-in system will be available from Monday to Thursday, allowing children to receive their first dose without an appointment. However, appointments will still be necessary on Fridays to Sundays due to high demand on these days.
Walk-in Details
The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) have introduced this walk-in system at 15 paediatric vaccination centres across the country. Children can visit with a parent or guardian on weekdays, before 7pm. For those attending Yusof Ishak Secondary School (YISS), the walk-in service is available on Tuesdays to Thursdays before 5pm, as the centre is closed on Mondays.
Parents should bring their child’s student ID, or other identification documents like a birth certificate, passport, or SingPass, along with a signed parental consent form (available online).
The walk-in option is limited to Mondays through Thursdays, as vaccination centres cannot accommodate walk-ins on weekends due to high appointment volumes.
Vaccination Progress and Encouragement
Since the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine for children in December 2021, over 160,000 children have received their first dose, with more than 13,000 also having received their second dose. The sibling walk-in arrangement, introduced on January 10, has already seen over 6,000 children vaccinated.
Vaccination is essential in protecting children against severe Covid-19 illness, especially with rising local cases and the Omicron variant. The MOE and ECDA urge parents to vaccinate their children to ensure the safe return of activities that support their holistic development.
As of January 23, approximately 70% of students in MOE primary schools have registered for their vaccinations, and 85% of Primary Six students have signed up. Additionally, over 23,000 children have been registered through the Ministry of Health’s National Appointment System.
