People aged 18-years-old and above in Tonga can now register [2] with the Ministry of Health to receive the COVID-19 AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine.

This includes those who are turning 18 this year. The registry will be used to track and record when a person will be able to receive the vaccine doses.

The Ministry posted the links on its Facebook page along with links for further information about vaccination. It stated that people can register [2] another family member with their consent. “Those who need help in registering can contact the ministry via email wshurrell [at] health [dot] gov [dot] to or call 7799120.”

Vaccine Rollout

The Ministry said that frontliners will be the first group to receive the vaccine starting on 15 April and are not required to register.

Other priority groups, including those most vulnerable to COVID-19, will follow such as the elderly (65-years-old and above) and those who are at a higher risk of death because of underlying conditions such as heart diseases and diabetes, before the vaccine is rolled out to the general public.

Each person will require two doses of the vaccine, with the second administered between 4 - 12 weeks.

The Ministry expects to vaccinate around 2,200 people from April 15-17.

Vaccine updates can be found on the Ministry of Health social media facebook [3] page.

COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine

The ministry is following the guidelines for the COVID-19 AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine which has been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and deemed safe after rigorous testing.

On 19 March, WHO issued a statement [4] on the safety of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

While there have been reports of some medical conditions believed to be associated with AstraZeneca, there has been no evidence of any direct correlation, according to the Ministry of Health.

Symptoms people can experience after getting the COVID-19 vaccine include a sore arm, fever, headache and tiredness for a day or two. The ministry said that taking paracetamol can ease these symptoms.

According to the Ministry of Health, people should either postpone or stop getting the vaccination if they have a fever of 38.5 degree Celsius.

They said if anyone has a severe reaction (anaphylaxis) to the first dose, they should not get the second dose. The rate of anaphylaxis reported to date to the AstraZeneca vaccine is in line with the expected rate of anaphylaxis to non-COVID-19 vaccines.

Anyone who has the common cold, minor infections and mild fevers can still be vaccinated.

For women who are pregnant, there is insufficient data on COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy. The decision to vaccinate will depend on the risk of not getting vacinated.

Build immunity

The job of the COVID-19 vaccine is to produce protection against the virus by developing an immune response to the virus.

This means there is a reduced risk of getting COVID-19 and the immunity helps you fight the virus if you have been exposed. Getting vaccinated may also protect people around you.

The vaccine is an important tool in fighting COVID-19. However, it is too early to know if COVID-19 vaccines will provide long-term protection against the virus. Other preventative practices such as social distancing, covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands, and wearing masks if required, should continue to be a daily habit.

There are different types of COVID-19 vaccines, including AstraZeneca, used in countries around the world to protect people.

As of 15 February 2021, 175.3 million vaccine doses have been administered worldwide.