Red Cross Commends Small Pacific Nations For Championing Global COVID-19 Vaccination Rates

Red Cross Commends Small Pacific Nations for Championing Global COVID-19 Vaccination Rates

Palau and the Cook Islands are contesting for top spot in the global ranking of COVID-19 vaccination outreach, with more than 99% and 96% of their population fully vaccinated, respectively, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th October, 2021) Palau and the Cook Islands are contesting for top spot in the global ranking of COVID-19 vaccination outreach, with more than 99% and 96% of their population fully vaccinated, respectively, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Thursday.

Since April 2020, Palau has conducted 11,008 COVID-19 tests and fully vaccinated a total of 16,152 residents with the help of the IFRC, which has spearheaded the vaccination campaign and vaccine confidence-building in the region.

"It is important to celebrate the success of reaching high vaccination rates in many Pacific countries, including Palau, Fiji and the Cook Islands, which is saving lives and helping people rejuvenate their livelihoods shattered by this pandemic," IFRC Pacific Office head Katie Greenwood said.

At the same time, the IFRC noted that there are still countries in the Pacific that are lagging behind global vaccination rates, which is getting more dangerous as cyclone season approaches.

For example, the Solomon Islands has less than 10% of their population fully vaccinated and Papua New Guinea has less than 1%.

"It's critical that we try to get everyone vaccinated ahead of the cyclone season, which threatens to damage homes and infrastructure, stretching resources and services needed to contain COVID-19," Greenwood said.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pacific islands have registered 125,349 cases of COVID-19 and 1,746 related deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Palau, an island nation of about 18,000, was one of the few remaining COVID-free countries in the world until August, when its first two infections were reported. By that time, Palau had already had 80% of its population vaccinated with Moderna's vaccine.