[File Photo]

The Permanent Secretary for Health says the AstraZeneca vaccine being administered is effective and safe and this has also been witnessed worldwide.

Doctor James Fong says all vaccines carry some risks, but adverse reactions to vaccines are rare.

He adds Fiji has than a century of experience with vaccines and this has enabled the eradication of smallpox and preventing diseases like polio and measles, whose victims are largely children.

His clarification comes as a lot of misinformation is being spread about the AstraZeneca vaccine on social media.

Doctor Fong says illness from the coronavirus is not rare, and the consequences can be fatal.

He stressed that the vaccine helps to protect against severe disease.

He is urging citizens to listen to the medical experts about vaccine safety, not random people spreading false information on social media and the Internet.

The Health Ministry has administered 70,693 first doses and 482-second doses of COVID-19 vaccines this week alone.

Doctor Fong says this includes 25,678 first doses and 420-second doses in the Central Division, 44,870 first doses and 62-second doses in the Western Division and 145 first doses in the Eastern Division.

The Health Ministry has so far administered 206,658 first doses and 4,599-second doses nationwide since the beginning of the vaccination campaign.