• Vaccine will be launched on Wednesday
• PM first to be vaccinated
The first batch of the 20,000 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine will touch down at the Honiara International Airport at 2 pm today.
According to an informant within the government, the vaccine will arrive at 2 pm at the Honiara International Airport and likely to be received by the Minister for Health and Medical Services (MHMS).
After formalities at the airport, the vaccine will certainly be transported to the medical store for proper storage.
It was also reported to this paper that MHMS is planning to officially launch the Covid-19 vaccine program on Wednesday 24th March 2021.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is likely the first Solomon Islander to take the first Covid-19 dose after the launch.
Sogavare in his earlier statement said he is ready and be honoured to be given the opportunity to take the first COVID-19 dose when the first batch of vaccines arrive in the country this week.
He said his Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr. Culwick Togamana will also be amongst the first to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine as soon as it rolls out in the country.
They will be followed by the front-line officers and so on.
Meanwhile, this is a positive result the Government in collaboration with the hard-working Ministry for Health and Medical Services been working towards since the pandemic Covid-19 ran riot globally.
The covid-19 vaccine the Astra-Zeneca was approved and certified by World Health Organisation (WHO) and it is safe according to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS).
Prior to the arrival of AstraZeneca WHO said that the vaccine is safe so that gives us the level of comfort.
Solomon Islands have been offered 108,000 doses of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine by the Covax Facility.
Today 20,000 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine will arrive in the country despite international media reported some side effects in some countries.
MHMS however said a number of the training programs for the health workers and those who will administer the vaccines have been undertaken over the past weeks and will continue this week.
It was highlighted in the media a few days ago that more vaccines will soon arrive because the aim of the vaccines is to vaccine the whole population.
By ANDREW FANASIA
Newsroom, Honiara
