The Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama praised his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in ‘putting a welcome pause on the pandemic politics that have kept valuable vaccines in the world’s largest and richest countries’.

“Your leadership will not be forgotten,” he said as he received the batch of 100,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines at the Nadi International Airport last night.

The AstraZeneca vaccines, manufactured in India’s Serum Institute, are known as Covishield in India.

“The latest data on the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine show that it is both safe and highly effective. Fiji will accept nothing less,” Mr Bainimarama said.

The batch will vaccinate the remainder of Fiji’s frontliners, that is, doctors, nurses, quarantine and hotel workers, and members of our Disciplined Forces, Mr Bainimarama said.

“It will also kick-start the second phase of our vaccine roll-out, which will include the more vulnerable segments of our population,” he said.

“I have already registered to receive my COVID-19 vaccine. As we begin the next phase of the roll- out, I plan to be among those vaccinated in the doses from this shipment –– but as we focus first on our most vulnerable citizens, I’ve signed up to wait my turn just like everyone else.”

The shipment arrived via Sydney on a Fiji Airways flight.

For more information about the vaccines dial 158 or log onto the Ministry of Health and Medical Services website and Facebook page.