FIRST DOSES OF ASTRAZENECA VACCINES ARRIVE THIS FRIDAY

The first shipment of 24,000 doses of the AstraZeneca Vaccines will arrive in Honiara Friday this week.

The 24,000 doses are the first tranche of the 108,000 free of charge doses that the COVAX facility will provide to Solomon Islands by June 2021 as part of its commitment to support Solomon Islands cover 20% of the population.

The rest of the doses to make up the 20% will be delivered later in the year.

The World Health Organisation certified AstraZeneca Vaccine and has been used in more than 40 countries worldwide.

“We can roll out this vaccine shortly after its arrival in the country,” said Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare on Monday.

Apart from the AstraZeneca Vaccine, the Government is also anticipating 20,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccines in early April.

The Sinopharm vaccine is one of the three vaccines developed in China, which WHO is expected to approve for use later this month.

Once the WHO approval is granted, Health authorities will roll out the implementation of the Sinopharm vaccine in the country.

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