Tonga's national vaccine rollout is boosted by around 54,990 doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines that arrived today, March 22, provided by Australia, as part of a partnership with UNICEF.

These doses will be used for the booster (third) shots enabling the Ministry of Health to continue expanding their booster campaign to cover Tonga, including the outer islands.

The Minister for Health Hon Dr Saia Piukala thanked the Australian Government and UNICEF for this assistance, since the previous Pfizer doses had been used up.

They had been preparing the cold chain storage and eagerly awaited the vaccines' arrival, while Tonga is currently experiencing its first COVID-19 outbreak.

Australian High Commissioner HE Rachael Moore said, Australia hoped these vaccines will help the people of Tonga return to normalcy, reuniting loved ones and bringing an end to several years of hardship.

“Australia is proud to have supported Tonga’s COVID-19 preparation over the previous two years, which included prepositioning over 2.6 tonnes of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and 50 oxygen concentrators in 2021.”

Through the deployment of HMAS Adelaide, Supply and Canberra, Australia had supported the Ministry of Health vaccine teams to provide boosters across the Ha’apai Island Group (including Nomuka, ‘O’ua, Matuku, Pangai, Tungua, Kotu, Fonoifua, Fotuha’a, Mo’unga’one and Ha’afeva.

UNICEF Pacific Representative, Jonathan Veitch said UNICEF was pleased to provide timely support to the strong efforts by the Government and front-line health workers to keep the virus at bay.

At the moment, 47% of those aged 18-years and above have already received their booster shots in Tonga.

Since the outbreak, Australia has brought in another 5 tonnes of PPE, Rapid Antigen Tests, COVID-19 specific medical equipment (including an additional 24 oxygen concentrators), consumables and pharmaceuticals.