Seniors who want to be vaccinated should wait for the letters inviting them to sign up, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said yesterday.

He urged patience, adding that the letters are now being sent out in batches, starting with areas where vaccination centres are already in operation.

"(People) don't need to worry," Mr Gan told reporters during a visit to a vaccination centre at the Jalan Besar Community Club. "It will come, and if it doesn't come, we will contact them anyway."

After receiving their letters, people will be able to register for vaccination online. They will then be sent a text message with a unique Web link allowing them to book their appointments.

Those who need help booking their appointments can take their letters to any community club or community centre, where staff will be able to assist them.

The nationwide inoculation programme for seniors aged 70 and above will begin on Monday, with Mr Gan announcing yesterday that vaccination for people aged 60 to 69 will start around the end of next month. Inoculation for the rest of the population is scheduled to follow in April.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said Silver Generation ambassadors and volunteers from the People's Association will conduct house visits and use grassroots events to answer queries and help seniors book appointments.

People urged to share vaccination experience

MOH will also work with other agencies to deploy mobile vaccination teams for seniors who have difficulty visiting vaccination centres due to mobility issues.

The ministry urged people to ensure that their residential addresses are updated, as letters will be mailed out to their registered addresses.

Vaccination for seniors started in Tanjong Pagar and Ang Mo Kio late last month under a pilot scheme.

Around 5,000 seniors living in those two areas have been vaccinated so far, Mr Gan said, urging more to get inoculated.

"Probably because of the Chinese New Year festivities, some of them may have wanted to wait."

There are now 11 vaccination centres in operation, with three more in Bukit Timah, Marine Parade and Taman Jurong to be up and running by Monday.

In total, Singapore will set up about 40 vaccination centres.

People can also get the jab at any of the 20 polyclinics or 22 public health preparedness clinics that serve as vaccination sites.

Asked how the Government would decide on the distribution of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, Education Minister Lawrence Wong, who was also at the event, said: "There will be centres that are distributing Pfizer; there will be centres with Moderna. So, the arrangements will be made."

But he stressed that there is "not much to choose" between the two vaccines, which work in a similar way and have nearly identical efficacy rates.

Mr Wong, who co-chairs the task force tackling the pandemic with Mr Gan, added that the Government is doing everything it can to encourage people to be vaccinated, including getting people to share their experiences with their friends.

"Because there is nothing like, I think, someone who has been vaccinated, who has gone through the experience and says it is okay. And then, they tell their friends, and then people follow suit."