Timor-Leste is pushing to fully vaccinate at least 80% of its adult population by year-end so that it can safely remove pandemic movement restrictions and control outbreaks of the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus that began in Dili in June.

Francisco da Costa, Minister for Parliamentary and Social Communication, said efforts to educate people about the safety of vaccines was working, pointing to Aileu where vaccination levels rose by 30% during last week’s vaccine campaign there.

Across districts, vaccine rates in adults vary from just over 42% in Bobonaro, 54 % in Baucau to 32.8% in Ermera , the municipality with the lowest percentage of vaccination nationwide.

The Timorese government’s municipality vaccine drive is running from September 30 to October 23.