AstraZeneca

The Ministry of Health said the last day to receive the first jab is 24 September.

The ministry is advising the public to ensure they get their first dose as soon as possible.

It also said that despite records showing 81 per cent of the eligible population received the first dose; more than 20,000 people have not been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Those who are eligible are advised to seek the nearest hospital or the vaccination teams going around villages.

The Ministry of Health said from the 17,199 that are vaccinated, a total of 9,497 are male and 7,702 are female.

These statistics account to 14.1 per cent of the eligible population vaccinated.

The health ministry also stated that a total of 56,296 people have received their first dose of the vaccine with 31,401 males and 24,895 females which represent 46.2 per cent of the eligible population vaccinated.

It comes after the government updated guidance last week to recommend only those aged over 60 get the shot, due to the risk of a rare blood-clotting syndrome.

Under-60s have been advised to get the alternative Pfizer shot, of which there are limited supplies.

Turning down any vaccine - and AstraZeneca is the world's most widely used one - may seem remarkable to other nations still battling rampant Covid.

Data from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Emergency Operation Center, (NEOC) recorded 2,369 injections administered Sunday with 918 on Monday.

Savali newspaper reports the majority or 2,076 of residents vaccinated with the Astra Zeneca vaccine are male while the balance of 1,211 are female.

That total includes 146 Savaii residents.

That is despite several European countries and Australia limiting its use because of safety concerns.

In Australia, the Pfizer vaccine is now the preferred option for people under 50, Britain is offering an alternative for those under 30 while France and Belgium recommend AstraZeneca be given to those 55 and over.

European regulators said earlier this month they had found a possible link between AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine and a rare blood clotting problem that led to a small number of deaths.