15,866 individuals living in villages along the Kings and Queens Highway have not been vaccinated.

Speaking during the Radio Fiji One’s Nai Lalakai Programme, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama revealed that this worries the government, causing some concern days ahead of a possible lifting of containment borders.

The figure was collated by the iTaukei Affairs Ministry during visits to villages.

Bainimarama says the Health Ministry together with other government agencies are carrying out robust awareness on the need to get the jab to save every Fijian from the virus.

“Those of you who haven’t got the jab, you will face a lot of challenges. The fact of the matter is that we have lost a lot of lives to COVID-19 because they haven’t got the jab. What are you still waiting for? There will come a time when you tried to get the jab and it’s all too late because there are no more vaccines available.”

Bainimarama says frontliners are visiting homes to ensure that the target population gets the vaccine to save the vulnerable group, especially children.

Plans are in place to lift containment borders once we reach 60 percent full vaccination.