By Martha Taumata Faavae
The Ministry of Health is taking a very cautious approach towards the administering of the COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca for Samoa when it arrives.
No arrival date is confirmed yet but there will be no mad rush for injections when the vaccine gets here.
The first group of people lined up to receive the vaccine will have to give their consent before any injection of the vaccine is allowed.
The Director General of Health, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri, and his staff will check on the state of the vaccine thoroughly for the first few days before they start injections.
“We have to make sure we have the right vaccine or dosage while at the same time checking for any damages to the shipment before the final go ahead is given,” Leausa explained in a NEOC media session during the week.
The Ministry of Health has already trained more than 100 nurses for over 2-months to familiarise with the work to be done.
A decision is also set for a health worker to be the first person injected with the vaccine.
“The CVOID-19 is a new disease and while health injections are a normal part of the work, this is a first for us in Samoa.
“The first person to be injected will be closely watched for any reaction and we will go on from there.”
The vaccine has already been administered in countries infected by the pandemic and there were initial side effects reported like blood clots.
An extensive study by the World Health Organisation, however, found the vaccine did not cause the blood clots.
The problem with individuals affected was traced along to lack of physical activities.
The vaccination process is being scheduled in two separate waves, according to Leausa.
“Frontline workers, police, professionals in specialised work like electricity and Government leaders while the second wave spreads it out to the general public.”
The vaccination work will be done simultaneously in Apia and Savaii by health teams based in district hospitals with others assigned to be mobile.
There are 79,200 doses organised in this first vaccine shipment for Samoa, enough to cover 20 per cent of the population or about 40 thousand people.
There will be 26,400 doses released for the first run while the rest will follow to make up the balance left.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is not to be administered to those in the 18 years age group and below.
There are other exceptions based for both men and women based on other health conditions or illness they may be in.
The vaccine is expected to ease some of the strict health safety restrictions that have been in place for close to 12 months now in Samoa.
But it is unclear at this stage when that is likely to happen.