Data released by the Ministry of Health show over 7,000 people in the country have now been fully inoculated with the Astrazeneca vaccine.

The data which were posted on the official Facebook page of the M.O.H. on Wednesday morning showed the figures for 29 June 2021.

However, the 7,215 people who’ve now been fully vaccinated represent just 5.9 per cent of Samoa’s eligible population, according to the Ministry.

And the breakup of that total vaccination number represents 4,100 males and 3,115 females.

The latest tally in vaccination numbers confirms that 835 more people were fully vaccinated during a 24-hour period after the 28 June 2021 update when only 6,380 were inoculated.

Nevertheless, the total number of people who have received the first dose of the vaccine has now surpassed 50,0000 with MOH data showing a total of 51,163 which translates to 41.9 per cent of the eligible population.

The composition of those who have received the first dose of the Astrazeneca vaccine is 28,531 males and 22,632 females.

The country’s COVID-19 alert status remains at Level 1 (yellow). The state of emergency orders that the caretaker Government continues to extend encourages social and physical distancing as well as basic hygiene and the wearing of facial masks in public places.

Samoa kicked off its vaccination roll out in April this year after receiving 24,000 doses of the Astrazeneca vaccine through the World Health Organisation-supported COVAX Facility.

Earlier this year the Australian government contributed an additional AU$50 million (WST$100 million) to the COVAX Facility, in a bid to boost equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for countries around the world including Samoa.

The Chinese Embassy in Apia recently reassured Samoa it will continue its COVID-19 assistance to the nation after China had donated over one million face masks as well as 100,000 protective suits and 23,000 protective face shields and goggles to Pacific Island countries, including Samoa.

The United Kingdom government also undertook to continue its assistance to the world to fight the pandemic with a donation of a further 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine with most of it going to the COVAX Facility.