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Tiny island nation's incredible Covid achievement

The tiny Pacific nation of Palau has the world's highest percentage of people vaccinated against Covid-19, the Red Cross says, urging the country's laggard neighbours to follow its example and step up inoculation efforts.

An incredible 99 per cent of Palau's population over age 12 has had both shots of vaccine for the new coronavirus, the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) said, citing government figures which also show that this amounts to 16,152 people.

That puts Palau, an archipelago of 500 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, in the "top spot", the IFRC said in a statement, ahead of countries like Portugal which was named one of the world's most vaccinated countries when 80 per cent of its 10 million people were fully immunised last month.

The Arch, Rock Islands, Palau. Source: Getty Images
The small Pacific nation of Palau is leading the world in Covid vaccination rates. Source: Getty Images

Palau ahead of nearby small nations

It also presents a stark contrast with other small nations in the region that have had sluggish vaccine rollouts due to supply constraints and population hesitancy.

Less than 10 per cent of the Solomon Islands (population 650,000) and Kiribati (population 119,000) are vaccinated, the IFRC said.

In Papua New Guinea, 150km north of Australia, less than 1 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated, it added, citing Our World in Data figures.

Doctor or nurse in a laboratory preparing a vaccine for a patient. Source: Getty Images
The International Federation of Red Cross said 99 per cent of Palau's population over age 12 has had both shots of the Covid vaccine. Source: Getty Images

Vaccine urgency ahead of cyclone season

The urgency of improving vaccination rates in the region was increased by the coming Pacific cyclone season, which could cause more damage to livelihoods already impacted by the pandemic, the IFRC said.

Palau was not alone among the Pacific nations that are leading the world in vaccination rates, on a per capita basis.

The Cook Islands (population 17,000) had 96 per cent of its eligible population fully vaccinated, while Fiji (population 896,000) had 96 per cent of eligible people with one dose, the IFRC said.

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