Frontliners start getting 2nd jabs of AstraZeneca

The Health Ministry has now taken the next step to fully vaccinate the frontliners for COVID-19.

The second jabs are now being administered on the health workers.

Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor James Fong says they want people that have got the first dose to get maximum protection by ensuring that the interval between the two doses is 8 to 12 weeks.

Meanwhile more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, AstraZeneca are on their way to Fiji as the Australian government has committed to giving 1 million vaccines while the New Zealand government will give half a million vaccines.

Health Minister Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete had earlier stated that Fiji is targeting to get 1.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as they aim to vaccinate 600,000 people in the country.

During a meeting with Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison committed to providing 1 million vaccines and Australia will provide the delivery timetable to Fiji in the next couple of weeks.

The Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, John Feakes says with the combined AstraZeneca vaccines donated by Australia and New Zealand, it will be able to cover the entire eligible population in Fiji.

The Ministry of Health says given the COVID-19 status quo and the need to take extreme caution against the rapidly spreading COVID-19 disease, a strategic vaccination roll-out plan is being formulated for Viti Levu.

At this stage the Ministry of Health’s priority is to vaccinate the high-risk population which include the frontline workers, persons with disability, people over 60 years of age and people with comorbidity issues as they are easily susceptible to the disease.