Covid-19 vaccination

Princess Mele Siu'ilikutapu Kalaniuvalu Fotofili received her first Covid-19 dose this morning at the Tongan Health Society Clinic in Onehunga.

The Princess says it was important to get the jab not only for her own health, but for the health of others.

"We can say it’s my right not to have it but we live with other people, we have loved ones around us in our homes so I’m really thinking of that, not just to protect myself but to protect our loved ones around us.

"This is what we need to do help our nation of New Zealand,"​ says Princess Fotofili.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday urged countries to supply more vaccines to the global fair-access scheme Covax.

The international distribution of Covid vaccines remains vastly uneven.

Since the first vaccines were approved in December, wealthier countries have bought up most of the supply.

Many are racing to vaccinate as much of their population as possible.

Medics with fang stickers on their scrubs are offering Pfizer shots to everyone who visits the 14th-century Bran Castle in central Romania.

It is part of a government drive to encourage more Romanians to get jabbed.

Some believe the castle inspired the vampire's lair in Bram Stoker's iconic novel Dracula.

Romania has recorded just over a million infections since the pandemic began, and nearly 29,000 deaths.

The Ministry has issued a schedule which covers the main island of Tongatapu, through to May 8th.

The vaccination were launched on April 15th with Princess Salote Pilolevu Tuita became the first to be innoculated.

The front-liners, including those working in the quarantine services, nurses and doctors, police and military, were vaccinated in the first three days.

Others, who are regarded by the Ministry of Health as the vulnerable sector of Tongan society - those 45 years and older, are also on the priority list.

His jab was televised on Sunday in order to help boost confidence in the vaccine rollout across Australia.

Vaccinations officially begin on Monday and at least 60,000 doses are expected to be administered next week.

On Saturday, small crowds of anti-vaccination demonstrators gathered to protest against the launch.

Mr Morrison was part of a small group of people vaccinated on Sunday along with some frontline health workers and care home residents. Australia's chief nurse Professor Alison McMillan and Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly were also immunised.

In a video call with frontline workers, Prince William offered his congratulations and described the programme as "tremendous" saying it didn't "just happen".

Staff joked they had been "thinking and dreaming" of vaccines all day and night with some describing working seven-day weeks.

The duke also praised his grandparents, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, for stepping up and getting the vaccine.

Its own vaccine Sputnik V, which was registered in August, is being used.

Developers say it is 95 percent effective and causes no major side effects, but it is still undergoing mass testing.

Thousands of people have already registered to get the first of two jabs over the weekend, but it is unclear how much Russia can manufacture.

Producers are only expected to make 2 million doses of the vaccine by the end of the year.