Islands Move Quickly on COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach
Three United States-affiliated countries in the north Pacific have launched aggressive Covid-19 vaccine programs, following receipt of thousands of doses from the US Centres for Disease Control.
On a per capita basis, the islands have higher vaccine rates than many states in the US, said the Marshall Islands Health Secretary in Majuro.
In the first 10 days since receiving a small number of doses to start, the Marshall Islands injected first vaccines to over 600 healthcare workers and front line government employees who work in sea and airports.
The US government is providing the Moderna brand COVID-19 vaccines to the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Palau.
The Marshall Islands and its two neighbouring countries in the north that all share a “free association” relationship with the US are all moving ahead quickly with their vaccine programs, said Health Secretary Jack Niedenthal, who each week participates in a call involving health officials from all US-affiliated islands in the region as well as US authorities.
“The freely associated states have some of the highest vaccine rates compared to the United States,” said Mr Niedenthal.
“We take the disease seriously,” he said.
Following the initial vaccines to healthcare and front line workers, a new delivery of 6000 vaccines arrived in Majuro earlier this week.
They were immediately rolled out for local residents 60 years of age and older.