Bula Vinaka everyone and happy New Year!
Thank you for joining us. I’m here today with the Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services and the Commissioner of Police with two simple messages for the nation: Get boosted and get back to the basics of COVID safety. And we have some new policies to announce in support of both objectives.
As we all know, Omicron –– the fast spreading variant of COVID-19 that has become rampant around the world –– has been confirmed as present in Fiji. We both predicted and prepared for new variants of the virus and we will be stepping up enforcement of key measures that can slow the spread.
First, I want to echo some of Dr Fong’s previous assurances. We are up against a different disease in Omicron and –– as one of the most highly vaccinated nations in the world –– we are quite capable of getting on with our lives and with our recovery. We do not face a false choice between lives over livelihoods or health over education. Some people may want us to feel that way, but the science says otherwise.
We can have a functioning economy while respecting basic rules to keep us safe. We can continue to rely on the excellent protection offered by vaccines. And we can strengthen that protection by administering booster doses, as we are doing. The time for lockdowns –– targeted or otherwise –– and other heavy-handed policies is past. From a health and economic standpoint, such measures would be self-defeating.
Here’s what we know: An overwhelming majority of people who are infected with Omicron will make a full recovery at home. This variant produces a significantly less severe form of disease than previous variants –– particularly among vaccinated populations. While the variant is more likely to evade vaccines to infect us, it is far less likely to make us severely ill, especially given the powerful protection against severe disease and death offered by vaccines.
However, the highly-transmissible nature of this variant is a concern. Because some people –– particularly adults who are not vaccinated and vulnerable adults who are not boosted –– can still get very sick. And by infecting many people, very quickly, this variant can place a serious burden on our hospitals and make non-COVID treatment more difficult to access. This is happening in many advanced countries already.
But while Omicron can spread at lightning speed, it is not impossible to slow. And we have to slow its spread until we get more Fijians boosted –– that means three doses of a vaccine. Our Hon Prime Minister has asked all adults to make getting boosted their New Year’s Resolution and we urge every adult to come forward to get their booster jab if it’s been five months since your second dose. In the meantime, as individuals, as businesses, and as a society, we have to get back to the basics of COVID safety and curb the irresponsible behaviour that could place hospital-straining numbers of vulnerable Fijians at-risk of infection.
Our plan relies on proven and proportionate measures, not performative ones, and it is structured around preserving the future we have worked so hard together to make possible for ourselves. The education of our children and the functioning of our economy are essential to the health of the nation now and for generations to come. We have to adjust as a society to protect these vital aspects of our lives and our future.
Getting back to the basics of COVID safety includes regular mask wearing, strict physical distancing, and the avoidance of unnecessary crowds. It’s not enough to have these rules on the books, they must be followed by everyone, everywhere.
We would much prefer that everyone voluntarily follow these basic steps to limit the spread of the virus. We are two years into the pandemic and we should be able to count on everyone’s common sense and compassion to adhere to the basic norms of COVID safety.
As Fijian citizens, we have to be responsible. And whether you’re a leader, whether you’re parents, whether you’re a religious head or whether you’re an employer or employee – we are all in this together and we all owe the nation our vigilance.
As Government, our responsibility to everyone is to provide vaccines to protect you and to provide medical support for when people do fall ill. Our responsibility is to create the safest mechanisms that allow you to go back to work and for businesses to remain safely open. And we’re doing that.
But as citizens, you too must shoulder our national responsibility of keeping everyone around us safe. This responsibility applies every day and it extends in the greatest and smallest of ways. If you enter a supermarket without a mask, you put our health system at risk. If a business skips a vaccine check for a customer, they put our health system at risk. And these reckless actions can add up to overwhelm our health system because non-compliance by all of us individually can have a far-reaching, society-wide impact that affects us all. So, should our sense and sentiment fail us, we are announcing a new slate of fines and penalties to ensure strict adherence to our COVID-safe measures.
Because this variant does not present the same level of threat to our highly-vaccinated population, the majority of our previously announced health measures are not changing. We are not locking down any communities. The curfew isn’t changing. Businesses are not being shuttered. The borders aren’t closing. Schools are not closing either. But we are stepping up enforcement and penalties for violations of health measures. So, let me remind everyone of the rules we have in place:
- All Public Service Vehicles MUST operate at 80 percent capacity and ensure that all passengers are wearing masks. Interisland vessels must also operate at 80 percent capacity and ensure that all passengers must wear masks.
- High-risk businesses MUST verify vaccination status of the visitor, client or customer using the VAX-Check Tool and adhere to COVID-safe practices.
- Businesses and offices MUST:
a. display a QR code and ensure that staff, visitors, and customers scan before entering the premises. A manual register must be maintained for those who don’t have a smartphone;
b. prominently display at all points of entry a signage on the maximum allowable capacity and ensure that all COVID safe measures are followed; and
c. conduct symptom screenings and temperature checks for visitors, clients and customers on the business premises.
And to ensure these rules are reliably followed, we have a new restriction for informal social gatherings. The issue is that we cannot effectively regulate all of these informal spaces to ensure mask-wearing, distancing and other COVID-safe practices. In order for us to continue to have our children learning in their schools and for our people to continue working in their jobs, we have to mitigate the risks that emanate from our informal settings. So, from tomorrow, these informal gatherings in homes, communities, and community halls will be limited to 20 persons.
Other venues which have been approved to operate under COVID-safe measures and or which require Care Fiji Commitment certification –– including places of worship and restaurants –– can host events, including weddings and other functions, at 80 percent capacity. However, other event venues seeking to host functions, but which do not have formal approval or certification to host events, must become Care Fiji Commitment certified to do so.
We will not hesitate to fine people, revoke permits to operate or shut down businesses, including hotels, that blatantly disregard any of these COVID safe measures.
The enforcement agencies are the Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the Fiji Police Force, and Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission.
As of 10 January 2022, the following fines, amongst other enforcement measures, will apply:
- Failure to wear a mask or face covering in required settings will result in a spot fine of $250.
- Businesses failing to maintain record or have QR Code available for scan can be fined $1,000 (official responsible will also get charged – $250).
- Failure to undertake symptom and temperature checks will incur a $250 for individuals and a $1,000 fine for businesses.
- High risk businesses failing to verify vaccination status will face $1,000, whilst the official responsible for undertaking that task or in-charge of the premises at the time will be fined $250
- Public Service Vehicles not complying with capacity requirements will face the following fines – Driver – $100, Passenger – $100, permit holder or company – $1,000. In addition, the permit holder or company can face $4,000 fine for not following the Protocol for Land Transport Services
- Failure to comply with the relevant Protocols will lead to fines of up to $4,000; and
- A business that is issued one Infringement notice, could face double the fine for the second notice, together with closure of business.
This is our final warning to everyone that non-compliance will not be tolerated. We expect these new fines to remain in effect for at least the next several weeks.
Our borders are open, we have Fijians who are back at work for the first time in nearly two years. We will do everything possible to protect their employment. That means, protecting everyone. And it means the same rules that apply to locals apply to tourists as well. Visitors should be able to enjoy their holiday in Fiji with the best Fijian hospitality and at the same feel safe that they can return home on time.
So far, test positivity among tourists remains low and we do not view hotels as major drivers of transmission. Tourism operators must continue to comply with the Care Fiji Commitment (CFC) and the Tourism Operation Protocols. They can continue to enforce measures as they have been doing on hotel premises.
Ladies and gentlemen, you should follow these rules –– not because we demand it of you and not because we will fine you –– but because they are proven to work at protecting you from contracting COVID-19. So, please, get boosted and get back to the basics of COVID safety so we can get through this challenge together and get on with our recovery.
And don’t forget that COVID isn’t the only threat Fiji faces at the moment. Please, stay safe through the wet weather. In case of evacuation, we have well-rehearsed protocols for managing the movement of people and supplies without giving the virus more chances to spread. So, adhere closely to the advice from authorities.
Thank you.