Fiji’s vaccination coverage and spread of COVID-19 infection will dictate the relaxation of containment zoning and changes to curfew, both of which Dr James Fong says will take place in due course.
When it does, the permanent secretary for health says it paves the way for more stringent enforcement of existing health measures –– including a blanket restriction on social gatherings and maintaining strict protocols around inter-island travel.
As of 8am today, 90.2% of Fiji’s vaccination target population have received their first dose and 34.4%, their second.
On Viti Levu where transmission is widespread and all active cases reside, around 93.5% of the island’s target population have received their first dose and 39.7% are fully vaccinated.
Division wise, vaccination coverage in the West stands at 99.3% for the first dose and 48.2% second dose; in the central division, 889% and 33.12%; northern division at 79.4% and 11.5% and in the eastern division 57.3% and 8.3% respectively.
In deciding whether borders should be opened, Dr Fong said they will not only look at vaccination coverage within the containment zone, but also communities in and around these zones, and between borders.
“We know there are communities that will see higher flows of traffic once the containment zone border is lifted, particularly places along the Coral Coast highway that are stopover areas for people commuting between Suva and Lautoka.”
In places where vaccine coverage is not sufficient, the ministry will be deploying its stock of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
