No figures yet on the number of teenagers vaccinated last Friday

A total of 118 signed consent forms were received by the Health department on Thursday before the vaccination roll-out for the 12 to 15 year olds last week, but the government has not yet released the total number of children who took their first of two vaccines on Friday last week.

According to Head of Public Health Ms Grizelda Mokoia, there are 160 children in this age group on the island and they were hoping to vaccinate as many of these children on Friday.

Minister of Health Hon. Sauni Tongatule thanked parents for the children’s vaccination programme but did not say how many children were vaccinated at the Avatele show day on Saturday.

Member of parliament Hon. Terry Coe was at the hospital by 9am on Friday for his first shot of the Pfizer vaccine. Mr Coe was one of the few adults on the island not to be vaccinated during the national vaccination programme in July.

Several women, who recently gave birth to their babies after July also took their first jab on Friday.

Still there is news on the actual number of children who were vaccinated despite many attempts to contact the health department and the Minister’s office.

It’s understood that the information is reserved for Cabinet’s meeting tomorrow before it is released to the public.

The children’s second dose will be administered in six weeks time.