Vaccination

The Health Department reported last night that confirm cases stand at 63.

The federal team, which will number more than 50, will include representatives of FEMA, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services, and other federal partners.

The Health Department's Dr Aifili John Tufa said the request for assistance was made right after the first community case was recorded on Monday.

The team will help with vaccinations, treatment of Covid-cases at the Department of Health clinics, training and help supplement medical staff.

There were a total of 17,899 doses administered yesterday, including 5679 first doses and 12,222 second doses.

To date, 92 percent of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose and 85 percent are fully vaccinated.

The ministry said the country's Pacific communities had reached "some key vaccination milestones", with 90 percent having officially received their first dose, and 80 percent fully vaccinated.

Eleven of the 21 DHBs had reached 80 percent first doses for Māori, it said in a statement.

The Ministry of Health confirmed that nearly 94 percent of those eligible have received their first dose.

The eligible population (76,911) includes 63,128 aged 18 years and over, and 13,783 aged 12-17-years.

The ministry also said that the first doses of Pfizer vaccine were offered to teenagers starting 21 October with a high uptake in the age group 12 to 17-years-old.

“By today 12,709 out of the target 13,783 had received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. They have yet to have their second doses.”

The target was set after King Tupou VI assented the Vaccination Amendment Act and the Public Health Amendment Act 2021, giving the Government the power to declare that vaccination is compulsory.

The Tongan Parliament on 25 August 2021 passed the Vaccination (Amendment) Bill 2021 and the Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2021, giving the Ministry of Health the power to declare that vaccination compulsory.

Most international airlines who fly into Australia are likely to accept only vaccinated passengers, with larger carriers now considering whether it is logistically and commercially viable to sell tickets to unvaccinated travellers. Some carriers have had their allocation of unvaccinated passengers capped at zero.

Speaking during a zoom call hosted by the Pacific Media Network on Facebook the Princess said Tongans in Auckland has the Pasifika islands community highest percentage of people vaccinated against COVID-19 which was an equivalent of 3360 people. She did not say whether this was the number of Tongans who were fully vaccinated or not according to Kaniva News.

She said while 10,640 Tongans were awaiting their second dose 12,536 Tongans have yet to get their first shots.

Millions of people suffer from symptoms of long Covid, doctors estimate. Now, early research is offering some clues about whether vaccinations might help.

Frontline workers including pilots, cabin crew and airport staff must be fully vaccinated by mid-November.

The company says its remaining employees have until the end of March next year to receive both doses.

It comes as the state of New South Wales reported its biggest daily rise in coronavirus infections.

The Australian flag carrier is the country's biggest, most high-profile company to introduce a mandatory vaccination policy.

The Friends and The Morning Show star said in an InStyle magazine interview published this week that there was still a "large group of people who are anti-vaxxers or just don't listen to the facts".

She added that she had, unfortunately, "lost a few people" from her weekly routine who would not disclose if they had been vaccinated.

The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported that the Japanese Government is considering the measures, with a decision on spectator attendance to be taken next month.

Overseas fans have been banned from attending the Games amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but organisers have held off on a decision on domestic fans to date.

A decision is likely to be made towards the end of June, with state of emergency measures in 10 areas including Tokyo set to expire on June 20.

Japan is prioritising vaccinations for the elderly.