Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr James Fong says he is truly puzzled by the pockets of resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine among some people.
He said it is known that vaccines had prevented the spread of dangerous diseases for “literally centuries”.
And he adds this vaccine is new because it is combatting a new disease.
“So every vaccine is new, yet the process of vaccination is time-tested and safe,” Dr Fong said last night.
“In the last year, we had successful vaccination campaigns in this country to combat outbreaks of measles and Men-C.”
Dr Fong said their vaccine teams had been fully deployed from Monday this week.
He said as of yesterday, 50 per cent of their target population – half of the eligible adults in Fiji – had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
“We are rolling out vaccines at a rate that surpasses most high income countries.
“But our mission is not yet achieved. Our goal is to make a vaccine available to every eligible adult in Fiji and to have those Fijians all accept this safe and effective protection.
“There will always be lone voices sowing doubt, some citing what they believe is their own superior insight or even some revelation from God.
“But let me tell you what I believe. As a man of faith, I believe that I and the doctors and nurses I lead to have a God-given purpose to protect life. I believe that God gave us the ability to develop treatments for disease, and this vaccine has the overwhelming endorsement of the worldwide medical, scientific and religious communities.
“It is helping countries open up around the world, and it will help us do the same.”
He said those who refused to be vaccinated did so at their own risk and at the risk of others.
