The Ministry of Health has set a new vaccination target population for adults aged 18 years and over at 618,173.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says this is based on the mop-up vaccination program for the first dose, and the review of the target population.

Doctor Fong says the Ministry used health zones generated profiling data for its target population to ensure that medical area targets are relevant to medical teams looking after the area.

For larger urban and peri-urban areas the target has been set at 63% of the total population because profiling is considered unreliable and a challenge due to ongoing population mobility and increased internal migration.

In areas with lower population density, the actual profile data has been used and reflects the true presence of individuals and arms to be jabbed for vaccination.

Doctor Fong also says allowances have also been made to include individuals who have work visas, student visas, and temporary visa permits and have gotten vaccinated in Fiji. This data was provided by the Immigration department.

The increase in the total number for the adult population at the national level has reduced the percentage of vaccination coverage nationally by 4%.

As of Tuesday, a total of 589,301 adults in Fiji have received their first dose of the vaccine and 405,839 have received their second doses.

The revised vaccination coverage rates are 95.3% for one dose and 65.7% for the two-dose coverage.