The Fijian Government has announced it will be making the COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for all those working in private businesses and in civil services.

AVL’s staff based in Port Vila Airport have taken up the cause of COVID-19 vaccination.

Fiji COVID-19 crisis

Community leaders from South East Santo were the first to undergo awareness and training on the COVID-19 vaccine before the rollout in SANMA Province next month.

A total of 19, 332 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine has been administered as of last week, since the national rollout program launch in Port Vila last month.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) is eyeing reinforcement of current protocols for the repatriation of Vanuatu students from Fiji, where the Delta virus believed to be the most infectious and transmissible variant, is spreading so quickly.

A total of 1,159 doses of Sinopharm vaccine were administered at the Convention Centre in Port Vila yesterday, the highest record in a single day since the rollout of the national vaccination program last month.

Prime Minister Bob Loughman stated yesterday that his government is closely monitoring Vanuatu students studying in Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The decision on whether Vanuatu scholarship students in Fiji should be repatriated or not due to the alarming spread of the coronavirus there will be considered by the Council of Ministers’ (COM) meeting today.

Ni-Vanuatu citizens travelling to Australia for seasonal work purposes can receive either the Sinopharm or AstraZeneca vaccines. Commissioner of Labour, Mrs. Murielle Meltenoven made this statement in response to a report aired by Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Cooperation (VBTC) recent…

Both Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Pacific’s two most populous nations, have suffered from the indirect, economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year or so. This year was meant to bring hope. But in the last couple of weeks, things have got a lot worse in both countries…

A total of 104 people, including Prime Minister Bob Loughman received their second Sinopharm vaccine dose yesterday, administered by the Ministry of Health.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) is urging Vanuatu scholarship students abroad to get vaccinated against coronavirus as five students in Fiji have tested positive to the contagious disease.

Over 700 people from north Efate have been vaccinated against coronavirus since the rollout commenced by the SHEFA Health Team last week.

Transparency International Vanuatu (TIV) Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Willie Tokon, was vaccinated with the AstraZeneca Vaccine on June 7 because it was the right step to take.

Three more Vanuatu scholarship students in Fiji are in isolation for having mild symptoms of coronavirus.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) will be administering the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine on Fridays each week, starting on 9th of July at the National Convention Center.

10, 480 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the country since the commencement of the national vaccine rollout up to last week.

The population of Efate must be fully vaccinated against coronavirus, especially if borders reopen for international tourism and also to ease the risks in the event of an outbreak.

Climate change and COVID-19 have continued to place adverse side effects on Vanuatu’s agricultural sector, says Deputy Director of the Agriculture Department Mark Vurobaravu.

The private sector must play a proactive role in leveling the playing field for women so they can fully participate in the economy amid the ongoing financial downturn caused by the pandemic, according to Liz Pechan, IFC’s Country Officer for Vanuatu.

The President, Tallis Obed Moses, received his first dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the Convention Centre in Port Vila yesterday.

Vanuatu Post Ltd will be organising the first national e-commerce at the Convention Centre in Port Vila from July 8 to 9, two weeks from today.

Two Vanuatu students studying at the University of the South Pacific (USP) in Fiji have been isolated for having symptoms of coronavirus.

For a long time, the health narrative around COVID-19 in the island nations of the Pacific and Timor-Leste was quite positive. Yes, the economic costs of the pandemic were substantial, but the number of cases was low.

Global attention focused on shipping in March, as container ship Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal, disrupting movements along a route that channels close to 12% of global trade.

The COVID-19 situation in Fiji is escalating.

Covid concerns rise in Fiji

The total number of vaccine doses administered in the country since the vaccine rollout launch till June 13 is 5, 140.

Prime Minister (PM), Bob Loughman, is expected to receive his first dose of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine today.

People can choose to get vaccinated against coronavirus with AstraZeneca vaccine or Sinopharm vaccine, which are both approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for emergency use.

Vanuatu has officially received the 20,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine and 22,400 syringes from the Chinese Government yesterday.

The 20,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine from China are expected to arrive in Port Vila tomorrow (Sunday), according to the Director General (DG) of the Ministry of Health (MoH), Russel Tamata.

It is a sunny day, you walk into the Convention Centre compound ready to be vaccinated. You walk right into a tent set up and the venue is crowded. There is hardly any lines and order. The setup is disorganized with frontline workers and elderly lined up to the left and the rest of the demog…

The SANMA Rural Health Promotion Office has confirmed they will be conducting vaccination awareness in Luganville, Santo soon.

Closures of international borders due to COVID-19 have affected migrant workers globally, both on land and sea. This blog examines the plight of international seafarers who have been caught by COVID-19 travel restrictions and outlines some recent efforts to assist them.

The New Zealand High Commissioner, Jonathan Schwass took his first vaccine shot on Wednesday morning along with other Government dignitaries, Leader of Opposition, Ralph Regenvanu, other COVAX members – Australia, United Kingdom, France and Japan and heads of other institutions and organisations.

A total of 270 people have had their first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at yesterday’s launching of the vaccination rollout, with the Ministry of Health (MoH) describing the event as an historical moment.

The Minister of Health, Silas Bule, is urging those eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine to step forward when contacted in the first phase of the rollout.

Today marks a historic moment for Vanuatu as the Ministry of Health launches its COVID-19 vaccination rollout.

The 1-week registration for the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the capital has garnered positive responses from the public.

The Minister of Finance and Economic Management, Johnny Koanapo, has revealed in Parliament yesterday that a total of 5,100 applications were received from businesses that applied for access to the stimulus package rolled out by the Government.

Vanuatu has joined Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Nauru, Tuvalu and Samoa, in the Pacific islands, to receive COVID-19 vaccine doses shipped via the COVAX Facility, a partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO.

The 14th Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Pacific Business Monitor reports that road to recovery expectations are receding as we head further into 2021.

Medical personnel in SHEFA Province will take part in a COVID-19 Vaccination simulation exercise today.

New Zealand’s recent announcement of budget support and vaccine rollout assistance to Vanuatu is part of a Pacific-wide effort to help the region recover from the effects of COVID-19.

Frontline workers who in their stressful and frightening environment are continuing the fight to keep everyone safe from coronavirus have been applauded by the Head of the Government, Prime Minister (PM) Bob Loughman and Leader of Opposition, Ralph Regenvanu.

Vanuatu will be receiving its first batch of 24,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine sent through the COVAX Facility tonight.