With only 5,000 to 6,000 of the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine remaining, people aged 30 years and over are now eligible to be vaccinated, health officials announced this morning. ‘Eua is receiving 2,000 of those doses and the rest will be available in Tongatapu for first come, first served. No date has been confirmed for inoculating the remainder of the population, due to a limited supply of vaccines worldwide.
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Results for Health
Monday 17 May 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Saturday 15 May 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u received their first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine this morning, Saturday 15 May 2021, at Vaiola Hospital, in Tongatapu.
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Wednesday 12 May 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Around 19,200 doses of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine arrived on an Air New Zealand cargo flight in Tonga this afternoon, confirmed Ministry of Health Acting CEO, Dr Reynold ‘Ofanoa. These are for the second doses of people who have been innocculated. So far, over 20,000 people in Tonga have received their first shots.
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Wednesday 12 May 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two repatriation flights are planned for June from Auckland, New Zealand, and Brisbane, Australia, confirmed MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u today.
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Tuesday 11 May 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Plans for repatriated passengers to start paying for their quarantine starting on 28 July is underway, confirmed MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u today.
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Monday 10 May 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The 247 passengers that were repatriated from Auckland, Pagopago and Apia last week have tested negative for COVID-19.
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Friday 7 May 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
With only 60% of the first batch of Tonga's COVID-19 vaccines used as of this morning, 7 May, Tonga's Ministry of Health is extending the vaccination program to next week, 10-11 May at various venues. They confirmed that people from the outer islands who are currently in Tongatapu can get vaccinated here. Vaccinations are averaging over 900 per day.
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Friday 7 May 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two young Tongan nationals, who are trying to get back to Tonga, have tested positive for COVID-19 at a border quarantine facility in Nadi according to Fiji health officials. The pair travelled from South America. By Eleanor Gee.
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Thursday 6 May 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A group of around 40 Tongans who returned from the United States via Fiji are being assisted financially by the Tongan Government, after their repatriation flight to Tonga was postponed, due to the rising COVID-19 community transmission there.
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Wednesday 5 May 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Hand Hygiene Day, 5 May, is more important than ever, to help sustain the promotion of hand washing. “Clean your hands! This action, that takes just a few seconds, does save lives!” stresses the World Healh Organisation today.
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Monday 3 May 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Ministry of Health is urging people to get their COVID-19 AstraZeneca innoculations, while vaccination teams are out in communities in their final week up to May 8. To date, 10,903 people have been vaccinated in Tonga.
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Thursday 29 April 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s precious supply of covid vaccine can now be extended to thousands more people thanks to the skills of the Tongan nurses, who have not wasted a drop of the first batch received this month. People aged 35 years and over can now be vaccinated with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. By Eleanor Gee
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Thursday 29 April 2021
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Geneva, Switzerland
Globally, new COVID-19 cases increased again with nearly 5.7 million new cases reported last week, surpassing previous peaks, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) weekly COVID-19 update on April 25. For the third consecutive week, the South-East Asia region reported the highest relative increases in both case and death incidences.
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Wednesday 28 April 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga has postponed the repatriation flight from Fiji, which was due to arrive in Tonga next week, confirmed MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma'u today, as Fiji has closed its major towns, due to the local transmission in Fiji of the COVID-19 Indian variant.
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Monday 26 April 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Around 5,367 people have received their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to date, confirmed the Ministry of Health this morning, after the vaccination program was rolled out on 15-17 April to frontliners and then in the communities last week.
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Thursday 22 April 2021
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Nuku'alofa
The ongoing COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccination roll-out program throughout Tongatapu up to 8 May will now close at 4:00pm instead of 6:00pm daily, confirmed the Ministry of Health this afternoon. The vaccination teams start their work at 6:00am. Tomorrow, Friday, vaccinations will be held at Ma'ufanga, Hala Hekoni, Pili, and Hala Bypass.
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Wednesday 21 April 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Hundreds more people in the Kolofo'ou district received their first COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccinations today, April 21.
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Wednesday 21 April 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The repatriation flights from Fiji, Pagopago and New Zealand that were scheduled to arrive in Tonga on April 28-30, have been delayed to the first week of May.
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Wednesday 21 April 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The 135 passengers repatriated from New Zealand and Fiji were released from quarantine today after testing negative for COVID-19 confirmed MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u. Meanwhile, plans for repatriation flights to Tonga on April 28 and 30 have been postponed with one flight cancelled.
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Tuesday 20 April 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A total of 78 locations across Tongatapu where people can get vaccinated for COVID-19 on set dates were confirmed by the Ministry of Health today. The vaccination program, which started on 19 April in Kolomotu'a, will run up to next month ending at ‘Atata Island on 8 May.
