A total of 56,928 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered so far, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says.
The Prime Minister highlighted this during his nationwide address, Monday this week.
The data is as of Saturday 7th August 2021.
Prime Minister Sogavare said13, 188 people have now been fully vaccinated, whilst 30,552 people have received their first doses and are now waiting for the second doses.
He said this is only 3.2 % of the total eligible population to be vaccinated of the 414,327 people.
“Fellow Solomon Islanders, COVID-19 vaccination is the only proven way to counter the spread of COVID-19,” he said.
The Prime Minister, however, said last week was the best vaccination week since the COVID-19 vaccination program was rolled out in March this year.
He said a total of 9,000 people came out to receive their first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccination.
“I am profoundly happy and thankful to all of you who are turning up in numbers to get vaccinated to protect yourselves and members of your families that cannot be vaccinated against COVID-19,” he said.
Prime Minister Sogavare said if we continue with this current vaccination rate, we will be able to administer the first doses to cover our total eligible population of 414,327 people in 40 weeks, which takes us into June of 2022 and perhaps to December 2022 for full vaccination.
“This is too long. The Delta variant or other newer and even more dangerous variants of COVID-19 could invade our country way before our population is fully vaccinated. COVID-19 will not wait for us to be vaccinated before it enters. It is in our collective interest to get vaccinated before it enters our country,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has renewed calls for all citizens who are 18 years old and above, to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
“This is your duty to protect yourself, protect those you love and protect your country,” he said.
OPMC PRESS RELEASE
