In an effort to further boost the ongoing nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services will soon begin administering the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which is expected to arrive in Fiji within the next week or two.

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is coming into the country with the support of the United States of America under the COVAX Facility vaccine dose sharing mechanism, which is a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, CEPI, WHO and UNICEF.

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine coming into the country soon has also been approved in the Emergency Use Listing by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is safe for use in persons aged 18 years and older.

The arrival of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will boost the ongoing vaccination efforts of the Ministry of Health as this will allow eligible individuals including pregnant women to get vaccinated. Soon women who are pregnant will be able to receive the Moderna vaccine to protect themselves against the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and other consequences of COVID-19. While the AstraZeneca vaccine also protects pregnant mothers from severe illness, hospitalization, and other consequences of COVID-19, the Moderna vaccine will allow earlier immunity protection for women, as the second dose is administered after 28 days.

Individuals above 60 years of age and with comorbidities such as chronic lung disease, significant cardiac disease, severe obesity, diabetes, liver disease and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are also encouraged to get the Moderna vaccine for protection.

An individual requires two doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for full protection, with the second dose to be administered 28 days after the first dose. The Ministry of Health recommends people receive the same type of COVID-19 vaccine for both first and second doses without mixing them. This means a person who received the Moderna vaccine as the first dose should get the same Moderna for the second dose and the same applies to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Like the AstraZeneca vaccines, two doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can protect individuals from severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19.