No confirmation at this stage when vaccination will begin for children aged 5-12 years

There is no confirmation at this stage on when COVID-19 vaccination will begin for children aged 5 to 12 years.

When asked on vaccination details for primary school students, Minister for Health, Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete says there is data coming out indicating the lower age groups have some benefit from vaccination but at the moment, they want to ensure they protect those eligible groups that they have in place.

Dr Waqainabete says their fully vaccinated adult population percentage is sitting at 92% and the first dose percentage is at 97 %.

He says they want to know why over 3% of people have not received their second doses.

The Minister for Health says there are some communities and settlements where health staff have gone three times to raise awareness for people to get vaccinated.

He says they must keep advocating for people to get vaccinated as it is not about herd immunity now but about people’s personal protection.