COVID-19

Booster shots for vulnerable Fijians

October 23, 2021 12:30 pm

The Ministry of Health will be prioritizing COVID-19 booster shots for moderately and severely immunocompromised persons.

This is based on recommendations from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong, says vulnerable groups will be offered an additional dose of vaccines since they are less likely to respond adequately to the initial doses, and are at high risk of severe COVID-19.

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Doctor Fong says they will be targeting those over 60-years-old, those 18-years or older with medical conditions that put them at high risk of COVID-19, and those 18-years and older who work in locations that put them at high risk.

The Ministry is now planning how to administer the booster shots.

10 deaths were reported between 2nd August and 20th October, increasing the national death toll to 673.

Meanwhile, since the last update on Wednesday, October 20th, the Ministry has recorded 146 new cases.

85 were recorded on the 16th, 39 on the 17th, and 22 new cases in the last 24-hours ending at 8 am yesterday.

Fiji has now had 51,977 since March last year. There are 1,828 active cases with 48,915 recoveries.

594,412 people or 96.2% of adults have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 531,210 or 85.9% are fully vaccinated.