New Zealand has extended its COVID-19 support to the Pacific region by donating additional doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Associate Health Minister Aupito William Sio announced Tonga will receive 9,300 doses and 10,000 doses will go to Samoa.
Aupito says, “these vaccines will enable frontline workers and vulnerable populations to access a booster as early as possible, both Samoa and Tonga have done an impressive job of vaccinating their people against COVID-19.”
Minister Mahuta says, “with Tonga now in lockdown and COVID-19 detected at the border in Samoa, ensuring populations are boosted will play a key role in mitigating the impacts of an outbreak” .
This donation brings New Zealand’s total vaccine donations to over 47,000 for Tonga and 94,000 for Samoa.
Image credit: Ministry of Health of Samoa