Covid-19 vaccines

Nauru receives Covid vaccines from Switzerland

President Lionel Aingimea expressed his gratitude to the government of Switzerland for the donation and Australia for covering the cost of the associated ancillaries (syringes, diluents).

Aingimea also thanked the government of the United States of America for donating 12,000 Pfizer vaccines which will be delivered at a later date.

As the country responds to the pandemic, step 3 of easing of Covid restrictions remains in place.

More children receive Covid-19 vaccine in Nauru

President Lionel Aingimea said that out of this number, 3 children received their first dose (89 per cent) and 88 children received their second dose (39 per cent) and are therefore fully vaccinated.

“Children who have taken their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine three weeks ago are now eligible to take the second dose.”

“Parents and guardians are advised that if your child has Covid, it is better to wait three months from the time of infection to get their first dose. This will help the body increase immunity.”

60 children receive Covid-19 vaccine in Nauru

President Lionel Aingimea confirmed that out of this number, 10 children received their first dose (88 per cent) and 50 children received their second dose (36 per cent) and are therefore fully vaccinated.

“Children who have taken their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine three weeks ago are now eligible to take the second dose.”

Parents and guardians are advised that if your child has Covid, it is better to wait three months from the time of infection to get their first dose.

This will help the body increase immunity.

Over 300 children receive Covid vaccination in Nauru

Vaccination for children is continuing as the country battles with an outbreak in community transmission.

 The Ministry of Health is advising all parents to get their children vaccinated against Covid-19.

 “Get your child vaccinated. There is no harm and there may be benefit to your child if they receive the vaccine and then get Covid soon after.”

“If your child has already been infected with Covid during this outbreak, you can wait until late September for the 1st dose and 2nd dose 3-4 weeks later, before the end of October.”

Fiji receives last batch of COVID-19 vaccines from Australia

Australia’s High Commissioner to Fiji John Feakes said they have been able to surpass their initial commitment for the AstraZeneca jabs.

“And we’re here today to announce that we’ve delivered almost 1.1 million vaccines in the six months. But it doesn’t end here as our support for Fiji will continue”

Fiji’s Minister of Health Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said the donation enabled Fiji to vaccinate more than 50 percent of the target population against COVID-19.

NRL refuses to mandate Covid-19 vaccine

On the same day the AFL mandated its players to be vaccinated by mid-February, Abdo took a slightly different approach.

The NRL has been grappling with mandatory vaccinations since the resumption of the 2020 season when several high-profile players including Bryce Cartwright, Josh Papalii and Joseph Tapine expressed reluctance to receive the flu shot.

Despite many businesses and rival codes mandating employees to receive a Covid-19 vaccine, Abdo said the NRL would leave it up to the players.

New Caledonia chief demands halt to vaccines

Henri Dokucas Naisseline said the vaccination obligation deprives people of fundamental rights of freedom and respect for human dignity.

The high chief of the Gaumha district on the island of Mare has decided to stop the vaccination drive in all the tribes under his control, suggesting the vaccine is dangerous.

However, he said those who wish to get the vaccine can still get it.

In August, the government launched an inoculation campaign in the mainly Kanak Loyalty Islands, called Vacci'tribs, in the hope of vaccinating 80 percent of the population by January.

Most popular Facebook link in US spread vaccine doubt

The piece - updated after a report said there was no proven link to the vaccine - was popular with vaccine sceptics.

The New York Times claimed that Facebook initially held back its report because it would "look bad".

Facebook said the delay was in order to make "key fixes".

The company had already published its "Widely Viewed Content" report for the second quarter of 2021, in which it found a word search promising to reveal "your reality" was the most popular post.

Similarly frivolous "question posts" formed most of the top 20.

Pfizer becomes first Covid vaccine to gain full FDA approval

The vaccine had initially been given emergency use authorisation. Its two jabs, three weeks apart, are now fully approved for those aged 16 and older.

The approval is expected to set off more vaccine mandates by employers and organisations across the country.

It comes amid lingering vaccine hesitancy among many Americans.

In a statement, the FDA said its review for approval included data from approximately 44,000 people. The vaccine, which will now be marketed as Comirnaty, was found to be 91% effective in preventing Covid disease.

Russia offers North Korea Covid vaccines again as crisis worsens

Pyongyang has refused vaccines and aid from a number of countries.

It has instead sealed borders to try and keep the virus out but that has affected trade with China. It relies on Beijing for food, fertiliser and fuel.

Kim Jong-un has acknowledged that the country is facing food shortages, describing the situation as "tense".

He made the comments last month and also told citizens to prepare for the "worst ever outcome" which has invoked comparisons to a deadly famine in the 1990s.