Speaking during his nationwide address this week, the Prime Minister said this represents 23.9% of the total doses required to cover the total target population of 414,327 people in the country which is 828,654 doses.
Prime Minister Sogavare said 44,613 people have completed both doses of COVID-19 vaccines, representing 10.8 % of the total eligible population.
He said an additional 108,417 people have taken their first doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
“This means that 153,030 or 40% of our total eligible population has taken at least 1 dose of COVID-19 vaccines,” he said.
The Prime Minister thanked and congratulated all the 153, 029 people that have joined him in taking their COVID-19 vaccines for their dedication to protect our people and our nation.
What a dilemma for the Solomon Islands government, the Prime Minister especially, I feel, for unvaccinated public servants and their dependent families come 1 November if entry to the workplace is denied and income from work ceases.
I do not know whether or not salaries for unvaccinated public servants will be stop after 1 November but I assess there could be a chance of that occurring.
I doubt for one minute the government and especially the Prime Minister wants that situation to occur, and what then for the dependent families of those public servants needing to buy food for the table and pay school fees?
I would urge all church leaders to urge the community to get vaccinated in their services this weekend.
I know scripture requires us all, as Christian followers to put their families first and to take care of them.
Let me quote therefore a verse from the King James Version of the bible which reads -
1 Timothy 5:8 - But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Please therefore I urge all unvaccinated public servants to get themselves vaccinated before 1 November in keeping with the church teaching on the duty of care to themselves and their families.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
