Following Cabinet’s approval of the Covid-19 Pfizer vaccination rollout for 12 to 15-year-olds earlier this month, the Minister of Health, Rose Brown says she’s grateful to New Zealand for its donation.

Te Marae Ora Ministry of Health estimates there are just over 1200 people in the Cook Islands aged between 12 to 15.

The vaccine is expected to arrive in October and Brown said more information on the rollout will come closer to the time.

Te Marae Ora said New Zealand has bought enough supplies of the Pfizer vaccine to cover its population and realm countries which are Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau.

“We really appreciate this contribution of vaccine from our good friends in New Zealand and the major difference it will make to keeping safe the young people of the region and their anau,” Brown said in a statement.

Cabinet approved the rollout on September 13 and in a statement, Prime Minister Mark Brown said Rarotonga and Aitutaki would be vaccinated first.

“I cannot stress enough how important it is that all our eligible residents make use of this vaccine. It is free. It is effective. It will save lives. It may save your child’s life. There is no doubting this fact,” PM Brown said.

“We want our children to be as well protected as they can be against this virus; in the same way that the overwhelming majority of our adult population has been protected.”

PM Brown said data overseas showed young people were contracting the virus in the same way as other people in the population. Te Marae Ora said the vaccine supplies that will arrive next month will also be used for about 200 people who didn’t get fully vaccinated in the rollout earlier this year, and who appear to have had second thoughts. About 100 now want the vaccine; and a further 103 who had their first vaccine but didn’t turn up for their second, would now like to complete the process.