The Pacific nation of Nauru has congratulated itself for a “world record” COVID-19 vaccination drive that resulted in all its adult population receiving their first jab.
The remote island nation, one of the few places in the world to remain COVID-19-free, said that the four-week vaccination campaign had exceeded expectations.
It said that 7,392 people received the first dose, or 108 percent of the estimated adult population, with foreigners included in the figure.
Photo: AFP
“The National Coronavirus Taskforce is extremely pleased with this world record result and thanks everyone on Nauru for playing their part to keep Nauru Covid free and safe,” the Nauruan government said in a statement.
Taskforce chairman Kieren Keke said that the country was fortunate to have enough vaccine doses to cover its adult population, but there was no room for complacency, with testing ongoing to ensure the island nation remained virus-free.
“With every arriving traveler, the risk of the coronavirus entering Nauru remains, and recent events in PNG [Papua New Guinea], Fiji and India have shown how quickly the situation can change,” he said.
Nauru received AstraZeneca vaccine doses as part of the COVAX global vaccine-sharing program aimed at boosting immunization in poorer nations.
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