Covid-19 vaccines

The Summer Games are scheduled to begin on 23 July, after being delayed by 12 months because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The International Olympic Committee said vaccination was "encouraged" but not compulsory for athletes.

Leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in February agreed to give consideration to Olympic athletes where possible after the primary targets in each country had been vaccinated.

Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) President, Dr Robin Mitchell, said the local response has been very good.

This was confirmed by the Ministry of Health.

The latest results show that men continue to make up most of the vaccination numbers. 

Out of the total 34,888 individuals who have received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, a total of 19,181 are males and 15,707 females. 

On Monday, vaccination administration was held in the villages which did not open on Tuesday which was Independence Day and was public holiday.

Vaccination centres reopened from 9am to 6pm on Wednesday. 

Upon receiving the vaccines on Tuesday the Kiribati health minister Tinte Itinteang said vaccinations would begin this week.

The rollout is to start in the densely populated South Tarawa districts of Betio and the Teinainano Urban Council which stretches from Bairiki to Tanaea.

Dr Itinteang said 12,000 more doses of the vaccine were expected in a month's time.

The country has no community cases of Covid-19 but last week two cases of Covid-19 were identified aboard a Taiwanese fishing carrier anchored in the Tarawa lagoon.

 The Assistant Director of the Ministry of Health, Tagaloa Dr Robert Thompson said 28,000 AstraZeneca doses are expected on the freight only flight due to arrive into the country as part of the special assistance from the COVAX facility.

He made the comment at a press conference Thursday.

Samoa’s Covid-19 vaccination programme got under on 18 April 2021, with Caretaker Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and Health Minister Faimalotoa Kika Stowers amongst the first to receive their initial dose.

Mr Brown says with the support from New Zealand, they've managed to receive sufficient Pfizer vaccine to provide full coverage for the population.

All residents in the Cook Islands over the age of 16 years are eligible for vaccination.

New Zealand support includes technical advice, vaccine logistics planning and support and vaccinator workforce training. It also includes the supply of consumables such as syringes and the transportation of the vaccine.

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the rollout in the Cook Islands would begin on 19 May. It was expected to take six to eight weeks, and would then be followed by programmes in Niue and Tokelau - both are also part of the realm of New Zealand.

The government today pledged to provide additional Covid-19 vaccines to Pacific Island nations, so their total delivery would reach at least 1.2 million people in the region in the coming year.

Health boss Leausa Take Naseri says borders will re-open only when 98 percent of the eligible population has been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Currently 7 percent have received their first shot of the two-dose AstraZeneca vaccine.

Leausa says despite rigorous border testing, vaccines are the last line of defense against the virus getting a foot-hold in the country.

Samoa has secured enough vaccines for 40,000 people this year, a considerable shortfall on herd immunity target of 120,000 people.

More than 20,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in the country last week and will be administered to high-risk groups.

The rollout, which got underway in Lautoka on Monday, is targeting people with disabilities and co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, heart conditions, asthma, HIV, cancer, and those on dialysis.

Essential workers are also expected to get their first jab.

But the ministry said the programme's continuation would depend on the availability of the vaccine doses.

Prince Harry appeared alongside dozens of celebrities at the Vax Live event, a charity performance in aid of the international Covid vaccination effort.

Hosted by the singer Selena Gomez, the concert - to be aired on Saturday - featured performances from artists Jennifer Lopez and Foo Fighters.

US President Joe Biden also spoke.

Addressing thousands of fully vaccinated guests at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Prince Harry praised the efforts of front line workers during the pandemic.

Agafili Tomaimanō Shem Leo, and Chairman of the National Emergency Operation Center, (NEOC) assured the country via a Facebook Live Stream on the Government of Samoa’s platform at the weekend, according to a Savali newspaper report.

“There is no need to panic or rush, rest assured we have enough vaccine injections for everyone,” added Agafili.

“Systems in place will also ensure that you can receive the vaccines from any of the teams to be dispatched to the public if your missed it due to unforeseen situations.”