Most districts in Samoa have recorded 71 to 80 per cent of eligible population members receiving only the first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. 

Recent figures issued by the Ministry of Health (M.O.H.) on Monday show that 29 districts are within the 71 to 80 per cent group.

The list starts with Gagaifomauga No. 3 where data shows that 70.5 per cent of those living in the district have received the first dose of the vaccine and the highest in the group is Palauli No. 2 which is currently at 79.6 per cent.

Lotofaga has the highest percentage out of those who have received the first dose of the vaccine that currently stands at 94.6 per cent. Safata No. 1 remains the only district within the 56 to 60 per cent group.

The amount of those who are fully vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine as of September 12 currently stands at 45,534 which is 37.4 per cent of the eligible population vaccinated.

Of that number 24,738 are male while 20,796 are female and 97,031 people in the country who received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine with data showing 79.6 per cent of the eligible population vaccinated.

Recently the M.O.H. Chief Executive Officer, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri appealed to the public to get vaccinated soon before the remaining batches of vaccines expire at the end of November this year.

Leausa made the comments during a press conference that was hosted at the Ministry of Health (M.O.H) conference room on Thursday.

He said Samoa is far from the end of the pandemic and appealed to the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

With the vaccines expiring at the end of November, Leausa said that people need to get vaccinated between 24-26 September.

National Emergency Operations Centre (N.E.O.C.) Chair Agafili Shem Leo said during the press conference that the country has sufficient vaccines but the number of those who have to get vaccinated has dropped.

He said preparation for COVID-19 within the community is important but losing one's vaccination card should not become an obstacle not to get your second shot.