People aged 18 or above who wish to get a fifth dose of a Covid vaccine can make an appointment to do so from December 16, the government said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the administration said people can choose the new BioNTech bivalent vaccine for their fifth jab, as well as the older BioNTech or the Sinovac vaccine.

The BioNTech bivalent jab will also be available to adults who are getting a third dose of vaccine, with bookings opening on December 9. This vaccine is already available as a fourth dose.

People can also request staff members at vaccination centres for the BioNTech bivalent vaccine as the third dose before the booking system is updated on Friday morning.

The government said it is adopting the latest recommendations from an expert panel and scientific committees of the Centre for Health Protection.

Meanwhile, authorities said they have arranged outreach medical teams to administer the BioNTech bivalent vaccine to residents of care homes.