Madam Joyce Lai, 56, getting a flu jab at the Leng Kee Community Club yesterday. She was one of 175 residents from the Queenstown precinct who participated in the mass flu vaccination exercise organised by the Queenstown Citizens' Consultative Committee.

A team of 12 nurses from Alexandra Hospital helped administer the vaccines. Dr Chia Shi-Lu, an MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, personally vaccinated eight people.

Influenza and acute respiratory illnesses peak in the months of June and December.

The Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Board recommend that children aged six months to five years as well as the elderly aged 65 and above get the flu vaccine annually.

Associate consultant Sujith Wijerathne from Alexandra Hospital also explained the use of the faecal immunochemical test, which is a preliminary screening test for colorectal cancer.