Fiji’s first batch of COVID-19 vaccines to be handed over at 7 tonight

Fiji will receive its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines at 7 o’clock tonight at an official handover at the Nadi International Airport.

The Health Minister Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete has confirmed that we are getting the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

Doctor Waqainabete says as earlier announced, the first set of people to be vaccinated will be front line workers who are the health workers and members of the disciplined forces involved in COVID operations.

Fiji Airways says they are excited to be flying home Fiji’s first batch of the Oxford University AstraZeneca vaccine.

It says they are loaded and ready to fly home.

Fiji is getting its vaccines through the COVAX Facility which is a global initiative aimed at making sure low and middle income countries get access to COVID-19 vaccines.

We are one of the 92 low and middle income countries receiving a share of the 1.3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccination with a total cost of $5.4 billion.

The European Union and its member states as well as the European Union Investment Bank is one of the lead contributors to the COVAX Facility.