Health

Double role for COVID-19 registration team

April 7, 2021 6:00 am

More than 20 teams are carrying out COVID-19 registrations and vaccination around the country.

So far over 30,000 Fijians have registered for the vaccine as the second phase of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccinations rolled out yesterday.

The Ministry of Health says 50,000 people will be eligible to receive the two-dose vaccine during this phase.

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Health Minister, Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete, says with the arrival of more vaccines, the numbers will increase.

“We need to just keep on utilizing the vaccines as they come and the whole year is about vaccinations and so we encourage all Fijians to be able to register if you can but if you can’t register because of an issue with your phone or with your laptop please make yourself available for registration at the places that are going to be published.”

Those who are eligible in this phase include the rest of the frontline staff at the borders, all healthcare workers (including those in private healthcare), police and military officers, tourism and hotel workers, and civil servants.

Also eligible to receive the vaccine will be those over the age of 60 and people with medical conditions that increase the risk of severe disease if they get infected with COVID-19.

The Ministry says people will fall into this category if they are currently attending a Special Outpatients Department clinic with the Ministry of Health, or similar with a private healthcare provider and this includes people with diabetes, asthma, and heart conditions.

The Ministry is urging Fijians over the age of 18, and especially those eligible for this second phase, to register for the vaccine.