Australia delivers Ultra-Cold Chain storage for Pfizer vaccines [1]
Wednesday, February 16, 2022 - 21:11
Ultra-cold chain equipment to store Pfizer vaccines for long-term use arrived in Tonga on an Australian Defence Force humanitarian flight earlier on Monday Feb. 14.
This means Tonga can now accept large quantities of vaccines, such as Pfizer, which requires storage between -90 to -60 degrees Celsius.
It means that Tonga’s Ministry of Health can plan its COVID-19 vaccine booster programs with better certainty.
The equipment, along with the first consignment of 55,000 Pfizer vaccines, are provided by Australia under their AUD2.3 million regional Vaccine Access and Health Security Initiative.
Australia’s High Commissioner, HE Rachael Moore said the rollout of boosters is the key to protecting the people of Tonga from the current COVID-19 outbreak.
“Through the initial vaccine campaign of AstraZeneca, provided by Australia, Japan and COVAX, and Pfizer from New Zealand, Tonga has been fortunate to have high vaccination rates prior to the arrival of COVID-19.”
By working in partnership, we can ensure that Tonga remains able to confront COVID-19 with the same resilience that the Tongan community always shows in the face of adversity, she said.
“It has been an incredibly challenging time for all with the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami, however I am proud that Australia has been able to stand beside Tonga in partnership to respond to the needs on the ground.”
In support of Tonga's COVID-19 preparedness and response, Australia pre-positioned 50 oxygen concentrators and two country-sized PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) kits in November and December 2021.
Australia has also invested in greater waste management support with two additional incinerators and an environmentally friendly ‘Ecosteryl’ unit which produces less toxic emissions than traditional incinerator units and limits waste by-products by up to 80%.
This will be the first Ecosteryl unit in use in Tonga, and the second for the Pacific.
She said Australia continues to work closely with the Ministry of Health to respond to the needs on the ground, including through the provision of additional PCR testing equipment, Rapid Antigen Test kits, PPE and pharmaceuticals.