Pacific Islands may not finish rolling out COVID vaccines until 2025

Solomon Islands has avoided the worst of the COVID-19 crisis, but new research shows it could take it and other Pacific countries years to vaccinate the majority of their populations.

With only 17 coronavirus cases detected from returning nationals at quarantine centres, and no community transmission in Solomon Islands, the focus in the capital Honiara is on life after the pandemic and re-opening the country to the rest of the world.

The country’s Health Ministry COVID-19 specialist Dr Yogesh Choudhri said it was important to encourage travellers back.

“We are a tourist country, we want to encourage tourism, but that will take time,” he said.

“Vaccination is one of the essential public health intervention to bring the country…