The United Nation Resident Coordinator for the Pacific, Sanaka Samarasinha says the risk of more COVID-19 cases yet to be reported in Fiji is high.

Samarasinha who received his second dose today alongside his colleagues says people seriously need to consider taking the vaccine.

Now 93-percent protected, Samarasinha says waiting and seeing the effect of the vaccine on those who have taken their dose is not a luxury anymore as he encourages people to take their jabs.

“Even with the first dose the likelihood of hospitalization drops tremendously, and with the second dose the likelihood of serious illness from COVID-19 is less than ten-percent because you have more than 90-percent from a serious illness.”

The UN Resident Coordinator says the rate at which cases are being recorded in Fiji is concerning and a collapse in infrastructure can be expected if people continue to take advisories lightly.

He says Fiji is lucky that the number of serious cases is not as much as it could have been.

He adds that this is not the time for people to be complacent.

Samarasinha says as a partner to Fiji, they will continue to support the country through humanitarian needs, however, he calls on people to practice COVID-19 safe measures.

Samarasinha says Fiji has been blessed with the support of Australia and New Zealand who are supplying the much-needed vaccine.

The UN office in Fiji has over 1,500 staff and dependants with the majority already received their first dose.

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