PM: WHY RULES MUST STAY

Fiji’s health protection directives remain in full effect because a second wave of COVID-19 infections cannot be risked, announced Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama yesterday.

He also announced the recovery of Patient 15, bringing the number of active cases to just three.

Amid much anticipation that some restrictions maybe relaxed, Mr Bainimarama has come out strong against the notion.

“It would be easy for me to stand here today and declare total victory over this virus,” Mr Bainimarama said.

“It would be easy to say this war has been completely won and roll-back every health protection directive in one fell-swoop,” he said.

“But we can never settle for ‘easy’ with a virus this devastating and unpredictable. “We have no choice but to continue treating this invisible enemy with deadly seriousness.”

Restrictions

The nationwide curfew will remain in effect from 10 pm until 5 am every day.

Social gatherings must be limited to 20 people or fewer. Gyms, nightclubs, cinemas and swimming pools will remain closed, as will houses of worship.

Contact sports are still not allowed to be played. Schools will remain closed as well until June 12, 2020.

Existing quarantine protocols will remain in place, including for Fijians returning overseas.

Fijians coming back would immediately enter 14 days of quarantine in Governmentfunded facilities.

After which if they test negative for the virus, they go into 14 days of self-quarantine at home.

Mr Bainimarama said there would be a gradual scale-back of some of the measures in the coming days.

He said the good habits picked by Fijians during the past few months such as physical distancing, regular handwashing, staying home or wearing face masks when sick, not sharing takis and bilos, and keeping a clean working environment –– must become a new way of Fijian life.

So far 800,000 Fijians have been through the largest healthcare mobilisation campaign in Fijian history.

Mobile app launch

Mr Bainimarama announced that in a few days a mobile app called CareFiji will be available to all Fijians making future contact tracing faster, easier, and more effective.

He said every Fijian needed to download this app when it became available.

“If our campaign presses onwards to total victory, when the history books recount the difficulty of this period, they will tell of how Fijians led the way in beating this virus for good,” he said.

“The right path isn’t always the easy one. But our success has shown that if you respect the science and act decisively, this virus can be beaten.”

Stay on th course

Mr Bainimarama urged leaders, businesses, and ordinary people to stay the course. “Do what must be done to avoid needless death and suffering –– and instead, set Fiji, and the rest of the global community on the course to health and economic recovery.” Edited Ranoba Baoa