Nearly 3,000 people in the country have been fully vaccinated with the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, according to the latest Ministry of Health (M.O.H) figures on its mass vaccination roll out. 

A total of 47,011 have received the first dose of the vaccine and of that number; 26,152 are male and 20,859 are female.

Some 2,856 people have been fully vaccinated, of that number, 1,789 are male and 1,067 are female.

Samoa started its vaccination rollout in April after receiving 24,000 doses through the World Health Organisation led COVAX Facility.

Those who will not be vaccinated include women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, people who are bedridden, youth less than 18 years of age and those over 85 years old (optional).

The list also prohibits those with a high fever (above or equal to 38 degrees); weak immune systems, including those who have been on steroids for a long time; those receiving active cancer treatment; people with bleeding disorders, and a known history of severe allergic reactions to vaccines including skin rash, swelling of the throat and eyes and breathing difficulties.

Samoa is still COVID-19-free, however the Ministry of Health remains on alert and upholding precautionary measures for the safety and wellbeing of its people.

Samoa also remains at a COVID-19 alert status of Level 1 (Yellow). The State of Emergency orders continue to encourage social and physical distancing as well as basic hygiene and wearing facial masks in public places.

In early June, the Australian government has contributed an additional AU$50 million ($100 million tala) to the COVAX Facility in a bid to boost equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide including Samoa.

It was also revealed in June that the United Kingdom will continue to assist the world battle the COVID-19 through the donation of a further 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine with most of it going into the COVAX Facility.

The announcement by the UK government comes on the back of the 47th Group of Seven (G7) Summit which was convened recently in Cornwall, England with the economic group announcing their determination to beat the COVID-19 pandemic and build back better.