Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says there are now questions on whether the COVID-19 vaccination works after fully vaccinated individuals tested positive for the virus recently.
Speaking during his nationwide address today the Prime Minister says he is aware that many comments have been posted on social media questioning the governments vaccination program.
“Let me assure you all that the COVID-19 vaccination works in two main ways as follows, firstly, it prevents most fully vaccinated people from getting infected by the virus.
“Secondly, for some vaccinated people that do get infected by the virus COVID-19 vaccines prevents them from getting severely ill or getting hospitalized and dying from COVID-19,” the Prime Minister explained.
He says in relation to those that are not vaccinated many of them will get infected by the virus.
“Many will develop severe disease; many will be hospitalized and sadly many might die from COVID-19 infection.
“Let me be clear that no medicine that any of us has taken is 100% effective, all medicines have their shortfalls but if they are taken properly, they all work to cure diseases or alleviate pain.
“The same principle applies to vaccines, all vaccines have their shortfalls, but if taken properly all vaccines provide high levels of protection to those that take them, just like measles, TB, rubella and whooping cough vaccines.
“The COVID-19 vaccine is the same, it offers protection to those that take it. But those that do not take it they have no protection at all against COVID-19,” Prime Minister Sogavare said.
He says early research also suggests that COVID-19 vaccines do offer significant protection against the Omicron variant, especially against severe illness and death.
Sogavare says the WHO has also stressed the importance of getting vaccinated to protect oneself form other wildly circulated variants such as the Delta.