DILI, 4 january 2022 (TATOLI) – The former President of Timor-Leste and Nobel Peace Laureate, José Ramos Horta received the Pfizer Covid-19 booster shot.
Horta was the first Timorese to receive the Covid-19 booster: “I contacted the Ministry of Health as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) to tell them that I want to have a Covid-19 booster shot before traveling to Dubai.”
“Today, I received a Pfizer booster shot. In Europe and USA, people started receiving the Booster vaccine in april, last year. I decided to receive this shot because I was called to be one of the judges for the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity in Dubai. But, I propose to all of my friends to do it online due to the epidemical situation. So, I will be departing for Dubai on 2nd of february to attend a gala dinner of the celebration of the Zayed Award on february 4,” Horta made the comments after taking the Pfizer booster in his residence, in Metiaut, Dili, on tuesday.
“I call on communities who have received two doses at least six months ago if they are told to have a booster shot, then it’s good for them to have it. The booster will protect us from Covid-19. There is no vaccine in the world which can protect us 100 percent, but it will protect us 80 percent from Covid-19,” he said.
Previously, Minister of Health, Odete Maria Freitas Belo said that the Covid-19 vaccine the third dose would be given to elders over 60, people with underlying conditions as well as the front-line workers.
She said the booster jabs would be administered first for 6000 people who have received their second dose of the AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccine.
“These 6000 people included those who are over 60, people with underlying conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, TB, diabetes, and the front-line workers,” Belo said.
Since Timor-Leste’s outbreak began in april 2020, the country has recorded 19.839 cases, 19.709 recoveries, and 122 deaths.
In Timor-Leste, of the 754.864 adult groups, 83.4 percent had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, of which 68.2 percent have been fully vaccinated.
At least four municipalities have now fully vaccinated more than 70 percent of their adult residents. Four of these municipalities included Dili (80.4%), Viqueque (81.6%), Covalima (76.5%) and RAEAO (71.8%). However, the vaccination rate is low in Ermera and Bobonaro with 49.9% and 51.1% respectively.
So far, Timor-Leste had received a total of 1.213.279 doses of Covid-19 vaccines, consisting of 1.012.850 doses of AstraZeneca, 100.000 doses of SINOVAC (China), and 100.620 doses of Pfizer vaccines (USA).
Of the 1.012.650 AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines, 100.800 doses were given by COVAX Facility, 24.00 doses from New Zealand, 777.850 does were donated by the government of Australia, 142.000 doses from Portugal, and 168.000 doses were given by the Japanese government.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
