Results for Health

Two repatriation flights to Tonga from Vanuatu and Auckland, New Zealand, are scheduled to arrive at Fua'amotu Int'l Airport next week on January 18 and 20 respectively, the Ministry of Health CEO, Dr Siale 'Akau'ola confirmed this afternoon.

Changes to requirements for incoming passengers to Tonga will be considered on Friday, ahead of the next repatriation flights to Tonga that were scheduled for January 18 and 20. MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u told Matangi Tonga today that recommendations are being prepared for the new Cabinet, including changes to the protocols for repatriations.

Tonga's 21-month long night time curfew will be eased slightly for New Year's Eve, 31 December, when the curfew will commence from 2:00am to 5:00am instead of starting at midnight. During the National Prayer Week 2022 it will commence from midnight to 3:00am, under Tonga’s Health State of Emergency that has been renewed for another month from today to 17 January 2022.

Around 7,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the Japanese Government via COVAX, arrived in Tonga this afternoon, Tuesday. “I hope today’s vaccines could help accelerate the on-going inoculation and that we could make the Kingdom well prepared before it comes,” said HE Mr Kensaku Munenaga. However, we cannot, we should not keep closing our border forever, he said. “Only with a change of the policy, Tongans who have been stuck outside of the Kingdom can meet their families here in Tonga.”

COVID-19 is the worst crisis for children worldwide that UNICEF has seen in its 75-year history, according to the agency’s report released on December 9.

Essential COVID-19 supplies and oxygen equipment was donated to the Ministry of Health from the Government of Australia, after the cargo arrived on November 30 at Fua'amotu International Airport.

Around 46,239 people (60%) of Tonga’s eligible population of 76,911 are now fully inoculated for COVID-19. while 73,295 (95%) have received their first doses of either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine by November 29, the Ministry of Health confirmed today.

Tonga’s Health State of Emergency has been renewed for another month to prevent the spread of COVID-19, starting from 8:00pm on 22 November until 8:00pm 20 December.

Around 57% of Tonga’s eligible population is now fully vaccinated for COVID-19, while nearly 94% of those eligible have received their first dose, the Ministry of Health reported today. Among the 12-17 years age group there has been a high uptake of vaccinations, with 92 percent receiving their first dose.