COVID-19 Vaccine

NZ to donate more vaccines to COVAX

The Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the latest donation to COVAX will also support vaccination programmes in developing countries, including in parts of the Pacific and in Africa where immunisation rates are low.

New Zealand is contributing a further 7.3 million vaccines to COVAX including 5.8 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine and 1.5 million doses of Janssen vaccine.

Through New Zealand's Advance Purchase Agreement (APA) with Pfizer, paediatric vaccine doses are also being provided to countries in Polynesia.

US delays Covid vaccine for children under five by at least two months

The FDA had planned to decide on the vaccine based on early trial data as soon as next week with the government planning to roll it out on 21 February. It had asked Pfizer to speed up its application as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus caused a surge of infections, including among children.

On Friday, the agency said it had reviewed new trial information that arrived after Pfizer and BioNTech's request for emergency authorisation and decided it needed more data before weighing in on the authorisation.

Community Remains Vigilant

According to Officer-in-Charge of Gumine Health Centre, George Umba the health facility, which is two kilometres away from Dirima, has so far recorded 17 cases and three deaths.  

He said there is community transmission happening in Gumine and said more patients are expected.

Recently the district COVID-19 mobile team have conducted vaccinations and administered 200 jabs to people in Dirima with the Johnson & Johnson (JJ) vaccine.

Australia says it's given 2.1 million vaccines doses to the region

The Minister for International Development and the Pacific Zed Seselja told parliament this was one of the reasons why assistance to the Pacific remains critical.

He said on pandemic response, Australia had fronted up with COVID-19 vaccines.

"We have now gifted over 2.1 million life-saving vaccines to our neighbourhood. Because until everyone is safe from COVID, nobody is safe.

"And similarly, hundreds of thousands of Australian jobs depend on strong economic growth across our region."

Sleeves Up For New Crest Lihir

The New Ireland Provincial Health Authority (NIPHA) with support of Newcrest Lihir and the Lihir operations health care providers, International SOS, launched the campaign at the Londolovit Town Oval recently.

Twenty-three people from Newcrest Lihir, received the vaccination at the launch.

New Ireland province has already vaccinated 411 people through the SLEEVES UP campaign launched by NIPHA, proving it to be a success with individuals taking the right approach in safeguarding themselves and their families.

ESP: Children will not be vaccinated

The East Sepik Provincial Health Authority recently received 8,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Governor Allan Bird dismissed rumors it will be given to children in the province.

He said the 8,600 doses will be given to front liners like health workers or the police, and other key service providers, shop workers and the elderly.

Governor Bird said the ESPHA is doing normal immunization that is done for all children from birth to 17 years old.

Government looks at AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

After studying the various COVID-19 vaccines developed, MESAC recommended that PNG access the AstraZeneca vaccine that was developed through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility and approved by the World Health Organisation.

He announced this after a meeting with Health Minister Jelta Wong, National Pandemic Controller David Manning, members of the Joint Task Force, stakeholders and the MESAC.

New Zealand's first Covid-19 vaccine given provisional approval

It comes after a robust assessment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine’s safety, effectiveness and quality by medicines regulator Medsafe.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says the first phase of rolling out the vaccine can now begin.

“Following Medsafe’s approval, Ministry of Health officials will give advice to the Government this week about the ‘decision to use’ the vaccine. This will essentially set out who are most suited to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, such as age ranges.”

New Zealand Catholic bishops urge everyone to have a Covid-19 vaccine

NZ Catholic Bishops Conference President, Cardinal John Dew, cited this country’s 2019-20 measles epidemic and the endorsement of Covid-19 vaccines by Pope Francis as reasons the bishops are calling on everyone to get vaccinated.

Pope Francis this week lamented that some people were saying they would refuse vaccination, adding: “I believe that morally, everyone must take the vaccine. It is the moral choice because it is about your life [and] the lives of others.”

First Americans 'could get vaccine in early December'

Dr Moncef Slaoui told US network CNN the plan was to "ship vaccines to the immunisation sites within 24 hours" of a vaccine being approved.

The comments come amid a surge in coronavirus cases across the country.

The US has recorded more than 12m cases and 255,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

These are the highest tolls registered anywhere in the world.

American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its partner BioNTech submitted an application on Friday for emergency authorisation in the US of their Covid-19 vaccine.