If you have had two Covid-19 shots, book in a booster shot says Aupito
The Minister for Pacific Peoples is encouraging anyone who has had their second Covid-19 dose for six months, to book in a booster shot.
Aupito Su'a William Sio said while community teams have had a massive year, 2022 will be a challenge too.
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Aupito said the Government is looking at new ways to connect Pasifika community members into the booster programme.
He said two-million-dollars will be injected into innovative projects.
"Working with our church organisations, our youth, our autalavou, our women groups that would normally not get contracted by government departments, we are asking them, if they need support in holding workshops."
Calls are mounting for the New Zealand Government to decrease the time between the booster shot from six to four months as more details come to light on the Omicron variant.
Two leading Pacific health experts, Colin Tukuitonga and Api Telemaitoga, agree the move is critical in the fight against Covid-19 particularly for the Pacific community.
US, NZ defence officials discuss threats to stability in Indo-Pacific
US and New Zealand defence officials participated in a virtual meeting to discuss enhancing bilateral security cooperation to address challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
Officials reaffirmed their countries' commitment to strengthen cooperation to address issues of mutual concern in the region.
In addition, the officials also shared information on their defence strategies in the Pacific and emphasised the need to enhance collaboration on security matters with Pacific Islands partners
The US Defence Department said the Biden administration is working to enhance cooperation with partners in the Indo-Pacific region to counter a rising China.
French Polynesia waits on Covid-19 test results to determine strain
Four suspected cases of a strain of covid-19 that has yet to be identified have been detected in French Polynesia.
French medical experts say there is no certainty the cases are the Omicron variant and are awaiting test results to find out the variant.
These cases are part of the 12 positive cases already detected amongst travellers who arrived last week.
The group was tested when they left and were tested again on their arrival, so French experts say the virus must have been travelling in a state of incubation.
Treat Omicron seriously, Fiji Health Ministry warns
Fiji's Health Secretary James Fong is concerned that people are not taking the new Omicron variant of covid seriously.
Dr Fong said more than 70 countries have now reported cases of Omicron and it is probably in most countries, even if it hasn't been detected yet.
He said if there's an outbreak in Fiji it could again overwhelm health systems.
Dr Fong said vaccines alone will not get any country out of the crisis, and that nations must prevent the spread of Omicron with mask wearing, hand washing, and social distancing.
Samoa has a new deputy president of the Land and Titles Court
Samoa's former Electoral Commissioner Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio was sworn-in as the deputy president of the Land and Titles Court on Friday morning, in defiance of an order from the Minister of Justice to stop the ceremony.
The Minister had questioned the legality of Faimalomatumua's appointment which was announced two weeks ago.
In a letter, Matamua Vasati Pulufana instructed the acting CEO of the Ministry of Justice that there will be no swearing-in ceremony conducted on Ministry premises, involving any ministry staff or any ministry resources.
However the ceremony went ahead before the Land and Titles Court president, Fepulea'i Atilla Ropati.
PNG move past Fiji in rugby league world rankings
Papua New Guinea have leapfrogged Fiji into fifth spot on the International Rugby League world rankings.
The rankings are led by New Zealand, followed by England, Tonga and Australia.
Kumuls coach Michael Marum said it's welcome news for his side leading up to next year's World Cup.
But he warned that the rankings should not be a distraction.
Meanwhile, the national women's team, the Orchids, are ranked fourth in the world.