Coronavirus: Vaccines for seniors
Wheelchair-bound senior wants to get vaccinated so he can go out with peace of mind
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Mr Fong Wei Keong, 76, who has high cholesterol and hypertension, wants to take the Covid-19 vaccine so he can go out to meet friends and look for good food.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Mr Fong Wei Keong, 76, wants to be vaccinated so that he can continue to go out to meet his friends, see his daughter and look for good food - and feel safer doing so.
Mr Fong, a former carpenter who had to stop working after a fall that fractured his hip, uses a motorised wheelchair to get around now.
But that does not stop him from getting out and about.
A divorcee who lives alone, he said: "I go out every day, as staying at home is very boring. I want to take the vaccine to prevent myself from getting infected.
"I don't worry about the side effects. When God calls you, you have no choice but to go."
Mr Fong has chronic medical conditions such as hypertension and high cholesterol, and also has a thyroid problem.
He has checked with his doctor that it is suitable and safe for him to be vaccinated.
He said the isolation during the circuit breaker period last year was difficult and he spent his time at home singing karaoke.
Staff and volunteers from the Lions Befrienders, a charity which befriends and helps the elderly, visit Mr Fong and check on him regularly.
He said: "Nobody knows when Covid-19 will end. And I feel safer if I'm vaccinated against it."
Theresa Tan
