Fiji’s Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Dr James Fong said the onus is now on countries to remain vigilant and strengthen their capacity to live with the virus.
His comments come in the wake of remarks by World Health Organisation Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that the end of the pandemic was in sight.
“Maintaining community-wide adoption of COVID safe measures where appropriate and maintaining impetus for immunisation remains the only means to reduce the disease spread and protect those in the community who are less able to fend for themselves,” Dr Fong said
Furthermore, he said stringent COVID safe measures including existing restrictions on visitor numbers, masking, and hand sanitisation practices in the vicinity of hospitals would continue.
In addition, ongoing vaccination campaigns including the administration of booster doses will continue. Employers and community leaders have also been strongly advised to promote and enforce COVID-19 safe measures in their respective areas of responsibility.
Dr Fong said such measures would improve Fiji’s ability to live with COVID and ensure that the public could continue to engage safely in the recovery of the economy and the health system.
“Anyone who is sick should not be attending work or school. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, you must get tested for COVID-19. If you test positive, isolation is mandatory.”
