COVID vaccination resumes for 15 to 17 year olds

COVID-19 vaccination for the 15 to 17-year-olds resumed today.

17,996 children in Fiji have received their first dose of the Moderna vaccine as of 24th September.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says they will be tracking the vaccine coverage rates once they have firmed up their 15 to 17-year-olds age group denominator.

Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama and Health Minister, Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete visited the vaccination centres for students aged 15 to 17 years old in the Central Division today.

Doctor Fong says parents and guardians are encouraged to register their children on the Vaccination Registration System before the vaccination.

Parental or guardian consent is mandatory before vaccination, and no vaccine will be administered to any child without the consent of the parent or guardian.

Doctor Fong also says vaccination for children aged 12 to 17 years is safe.

He says similar to adults, children can also experience the side effects of COVID-19 vaccination such as pain, swelling at the jab site, fever, and body aches.

These symptoms should subside over a few days.

Doctor Fong says severe side effects are rare and the risk of getting a severe infection and succumbing to COVID-19 is still higher than the risk of adverse events from vaccination.

He says while rates and severity of the infection are lower in children, we have experienced cases and severe disease in children.

Doctor Fong says children do still spread the infection and occasionally develop severe disease.

He says apart from vaccination, children are also protected when adults around them are vaccinated and these adults adhere to COVID safe measures.

To date, 593,442 adults in Fiji have received their first dose of the vaccine and 462,441 have received their second doses.

Doctor Fong says based on the updated total population of 618,173 people aged 18 years and over, the vaccination coverage rates are 96 percent for adults who have received at least one dose, and 74.8 percent are now fully vaccinated nationwide.