26 June 2021 Apia Samoa. Another week has ended for Samoa’s Covid-19 vaccination teams recording a total of 49,546 having completed first doses while the number of those fully vaccinated passes five thousand.
As previously announced by Health Chief Leausa Dr Take Naseri, the total estimated number of eligible adults to be vaccinated for Samoa is 117,000.
Senior doctor Leituala Dr. Ben Matalavea says Samoa cannot be complacent with the global pandemic at our doorstep referring to the situation in Fiji.
“Fiji is now out of control, going from zero cases not so long ago to its current peak of 300 a day,” said the Clinical Director of Samoa’s National Kidney Foundation,
“We do not want to be in that situation. There are only 200,000 of us and the target is only around 120,000”.
Dr Leituala says Samoa should use its covid-free status as an opportunity to prepare.
“We should aim for 117,000 or more fully vaccinated within three months,” said Dr Matalavea.
“Let’s think that our borders will be opened by the end of this year… and the only way for us to be safe and able to do that, is when we have enough people vaccinated to afford herd immunity for the rest of our people;
“We should push for all those who are elligible to be vaccinated within the next 3 months,” says Leituala.
Samoa’s vaccination programme achieved over 5,500 first dose vaccinations in the past seven days. At that rate, the three month target referred to by Dr Matalavea will be achieved, for first doses.
This past week the Ministry of Health were in the district of Falelatai & Samatau.
The centrally located sites such as the STA Fale are available to the public throughout the week for those who have not yet had their first dose, as well as for those due to go in for their second dose.
Samoa’s Director of Health assures there are enough vaccines for the target population to receive first and second dosages.
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