A TOTAL of 411 people on Lihir Island in New Ireland have been vaccinated with the COVID-19 AstraZeneca.
The three-day vaccination rollout was conducted by the New Ireland Provincial Health Authority (NIPHA) supported by miner-Newcrest Mining Lihir.
The COVID-19 vaccine ‘Sleeves Up’ campaign was officially launched by the NIPHA with the support of Newcrest Lihir and International SOS at the Londolovit Town Oval on Friday, June 11 with the first 23 people being vaccinated.
On June 12, the vaccination station was set up at the Lihir Medical Centre.
Those vaccinated included police personnel, health workers, teachers, members of the Lihir community, Newcrest employees and contractor employees and their spouses.
Vincent Pangali, a Newcrest Lihir employee spoke of his experience after testing positive to the virus early this year.
“Though I contracted the COVID-19 virus in March this year, I had to go in to the Lihir Medical Centre with my two bosses and a few work colleagues and took our first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine, because it is the right thing to do,’’ Pangali said.
“Despite all the conspiracy theories going on, I have researched and educated myself enough about these vaccines to know that I will not have any issues taking them. The best way for mankind to reduce and eliminate this COVID-19 virus is for everyone to go for vaccination.”
The 11-member team from the NIPHA carried out community awareness on the COVID-19 vaccine as well as rolled out the vaccination programme simultaneously at the Londolovit Town and market, the Lihir High School and several primary schools.
International SOS; healthcare service providers to the Lihir operations; also supported the vaccination program by providing administrative assistance. Newcrest Lihir assisted the NIPHA with logistics and transport of the vaccines and personnel, meals, and accommodation.
Newcrest Lihir Operations General Manager, Peter Sharpe said it was pleasing to hear that a total of 411 were vaccinated, making it the single largest number of people vaccinated to date in the entire New Ireland Province.
He said Newcrest was happy to support the roll out of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccines in New Ireland and thanked the NIPHA for organizing the COVID-19 vaccines to be brought to Lihir.