More than 26,000 Home Team officers inoculated

About 26,200 Home Team officers have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine as at Friday.

Of these, 19,058 officers have received their second doses, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a statement yesterday.

MHA's vaccination exercise started with 80 officers involved in frontline healthcare operations receiving vaccinations on Jan 11.

They were among about 1,050 to be vaccinated first, including the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) Emergency Medical Services officers, staff from the Home Team Medical Services Division, and other frontline officers.

These included staff from the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) and the Singapore Prison Service (SPS).

Subsequently, frontline officers performing enforcement and essential services duties were also vaccinated.

Yesterday, an MHA spokesman told The Sunday Times that, overall, 83 per cent of all medically eligible officers who work in frontline healthcare and enforcement, as well as essential services, have chosen to receive the vaccination.

Senior leaders from various services under MHA were also vaccinated, including the commissioners and heads of department of the (SCDF), Singapore Police Force, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), SPS, Central Narcotics Bureau and HTX.

Referring to the high take-up rate for vaccination among SCDF officers, Commissioner of SCDF Eric Yap said: "This is a clear statement of our resolve, commitment and determination to ensure that SCDF, together with other Home Team agencies, build a collective Home Team defence against Covid-19."

MHA permanent secretary Pang Kin Keong, who is also chairman of the Homefront Crisis Executive Group, said: "They perform roles critical for our country's safety and security, and together with colleagues from other ministries, have been helping us to manage the pandemic. Getting vaccinated is therefore an important step."