COVID-19 Vaccine

Xi Jinping and other leaders given domestic vaccine

The news was released as part of a campaign to increase vaccination rates, especially of boosters.

The deputy head of China's National Health Commission, Zeng Yixin, said it showed the leadership's confidence in the Chinese vaccines.

Health information about these figures is not usually shared with the public.

Mr Zeng said the country's leaders had "all taken the home-grown Covid-19 vaccination jabs".

Focus on Covid-19 vaccination for children in Samoa

The vaccination rate for that age group is 31.5 per cent.

Fiame said 93.9 per cent in that age group have received their first dose.

In her special address to the nation today, she said 91.9 per cent of the population aged 18 and over have received their two doses.

Those aged 12 to 17 who have taken both their doses account for 84.2 per cent.

Fiame said 59,759 booster doses have been completed.

Those aged 18 years and above make up 49.8 per cent.

NZ to donate more vaccines to COVAX

The Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the latest donation to COVAX will also support vaccination programmes in developing countries, including in parts of the Pacific and in Africa where immunisation rates are low.

New Zealand is contributing a further 7.3 million vaccines to COVAX including 5.8 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine and 1.5 million doses of Janssen vaccine.

Through New Zealand's Advance Purchase Agreement (APA) with Pfizer, paediatric vaccine doses are also being provided to countries in Polynesia.

US delays Covid vaccine for children under five by at least two months

The FDA had planned to decide on the vaccine based on early trial data as soon as next week with the government planning to roll it out on 21 February. It had asked Pfizer to speed up its application as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus caused a surge of infections, including among children.

On Friday, the agency said it had reviewed new trial information that arrived after Pfizer and BioNTech's request for emergency authorisation and decided it needed more data before weighing in on the authorisation.

Australia says it's given 2.1 million vaccines doses to the region

The Minister for International Development and the Pacific Zed Seselja told parliament this was one of the reasons why assistance to the Pacific remains critical.

He said on pandemic response, Australia had fronted up with COVID-19 vaccines.

"We have now gifted over 2.1 million life-saving vaccines to our neighbourhood. Because until everyone is safe from COVID, nobody is safe.

"And similarly, hundreds of thousands of Australian jobs depend on strong economic growth across our region."

Samoa receives more COVID-19 vaccine from Australia

The consignment arrived yesterday.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said, “This allocation is part of the Morrison Government’s commitment to share up to 15 million doses with the Pacific and Timor-Leste by mid-2022 to support health and economic recovery.”

Japan offers 3 million vaccine doses at Pacific Islands Summit

Suga’s announcement came as leaders of Japan and Pacific island nations and territories held an online meeting Friday, with Tokyo aiming to promote its “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy” in an apparent effort to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

In the virtual meeting, Japan also pledged assistance to help Pacific countries recover from the coronavirus pandemic by strengthening health care and medical systems, providing economic relief, and improving infrastructure facilities among other measures, according to government officials.

Close to 30,000 people receive COVID-19 vaccines in Samoa

This brings the total number of people vaccinated to 29,518.

The Ministry said 15,671 men and 12,772 women have received their first dose of the vaccine. 

The mass rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine began in late April. 

The ministry’s guidelines state that people eligible for vaccination include those who are 18 years and older and people who are most at-risk of complications arising from COVID-19 infections.

Pasifika ministers won't 'isolate' church-goers for refusal of COVID-19 vaccine

It comes as nine ministers from the Ekalesia Faapotopotoga Kerisiano Samoa (EFKS) Synod were in line to take their first jab at the Otara Vaccination Centre.

EFKS Sandringham minister Reverend Featunai Liuaana says he’s talked with his congregation about the possible consequences of not taking the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We don’t isolate them, we try to get everybody else to be vaccinated, but at least there’s protection there for those who have been vaccinated.

Vaccine rollout in England extends to 44-year-olds

Two-thirds of the previous age group - 45 to 49-year-olds - have received their first dose.

The NHS said it would set out when 40 to 43-year-olds would be able to book appointments "in the coming days", as supply allows.

It comes as a TV advert is launched to encourage under-50s to get vaccinated.

The total number of vaccine doses given in the UK reached almost 46.3 million on Sunday, with a further 498,430 second doses and 142,215 first doses reported.