By Staff Writer
The COVID-19 vaccine injection roll out for Samoa starts officially this week on Monday, 26 April 2021, raising hopes at last of a return to normal after close to a year of emergency lockdown.
The roll out starts inside the more populated urban areas of Apia starting with the Vaimauga District for the first week, on a stretch east of Apia at Lauli’i, moving west across to Alamagoto.
The Director General of Health, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri, announced the roll out plan in a NEOC press conference yesterday, Saturday 24th April 2021.
A total of more than 130,000 of the population eligible for injection will be targetted over the coming weeks.
“ We’re starting this week with injection clinics inside the Vaimauga District where there is a huge population concentration and work our way out into the outer villages and Savaii,” Leausa explained.
“This is Phase 2 of the roll out where vaccination teams will be working in selected village zones as they make their way out into the rest of the country in the coming weeks.”
Leausa added that clinics at the TTM National Hospital and in selected location inside Apia will be available to any member of the public to call in and be vaccinated.
The vaccination roll out actually started with Phase 1 last week with frontline workers and others in essential services, according to Leausa.
“By last Friday we vaccinated 1,979 frontline workers and those in essential services like in electricity, water supply, police, hotels and others.
“Of those already injected, 1,319 are men and 660 women in both Upolu and Savaii.”
The Prime Minister and Minister of Health were the first to be vaccinated a week ago last Sunday.
NEOC Chairman, Agafili Shem Leo, tried to assure everyone there is no need to make a rush to be vaccinated for fear the doses will run out.
“We have enough to go around with the 24,000 does we have received and 55,000 more arriving in mid-May,” Agafili declared.
‘We’re also making arrangements with Australia and New Zealand for their assistance.”
The Oxford/AstraZeneca is the selected COVID-19 vaccine being rolled out in the first of two doses with the second injections to follow in 8-12 weeks.