Booster COVID vaccine doses have started in Fiji for the frontliners and the vulnerable population

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has started the booster doses of the Moderna vaccine to the frontliners and the vulnerable population from current vaccination sites.

The Ministry says the target population is the people who received their second dose of the COVID vaccine more than 5 months ago, that is, before 1st July 2021. These include front-liners, persons aged 60 years and over, persons under 60 years who have medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease, cancer, and others, confirmed by a medical doctor at a health facility.

It says when presenting for the booster dose, individuals under 60 years with any of the medical conditions are requested to bring along their Vaccination Card and their Special Outpatient Department card or a letter from their treating doctor confirming the presence of the medical condition.

The Health Ministry says eligible individuals who are not able to go to a vaccination site for the booster dose can contact toll-free line 158 to register for home vaccination.

It says the main objective of providing booster doses to this target population is to ensure that they have full protection against the COVID-19 virus for those who will deal directly with incoming travellers when international borders open, and those who will be at the highest risk for the severe disease when exposed to the virus.

This also follows use of the Moderna vaccine for booster doses by stringent regulatory authorities, and the commencement of booster doses in more than 30 countries around the world that include the US, UK, Israel, Singapore, and France, and in preparation for the opening of Fiji’s international border in December.