2 days

Samoa to go into 2-day lockdown for vaccination

The expiry date for its stock of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is fast approaching and people are still dragging their feet on getting vaccinated.

The Ministry of Health is instructing people to stay home on Thursday and Friday as its roving teams vaccinate every eligible person in each household.

As of Friday, over 99,000 people or 84.4 per cent of the eligible population had received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, while just over 50,000 had received both doses, according to Ministry of Health data.

Samoa Government to shut down amid measles epidemic

In a national address, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said the public service and all government services will be closed from Thursday 5th-6th December in order to allow all public servants to assist with the mass vaccination campaign throughout the country except for the utilities (Water and Electricity).