Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong has requested all spotters from Health, Commerce and Security Ministries to escalate the fining of individuals and corporate bodies where there is evidence of non-compliance with COVID safe measures.
Doctor Fong says these spot fines must be seen as a means to promote COVID safe measures; as such, it is not the intention that every single transgression will be picked up and fined.
He says all of us who live in Fiji need to understand that any large resurgence in cases is likely to undermine our social and economic recovery program, irrespective of whether it’s from the Delta variant or the entry of the Omicron variant.
Doctor Fong says finding the Omicron variant in travellers in border quarantine is not unexpected, given how quickly it has spread worldwide, but it is a sharp reminder to ourselves that the key to avoiding future restrictions and lockdowns is for us all to remain cautious about how we engage in the greater freedom we will enjoy.
He says whilst the easing of restrictions is needed to facilitate livelihoods, we must ensure that together with vaccination, we continue to observe our COVID safe measures and avoid contained spaces and crowds.
The Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services is also extremely concerned at the lack of adherence to COVID safe measures in gatherings throughout the country, especially the adherence to masking in indoor public spaces.
He says after the Delta outbreak this year, it is understandable that many will feel the urge to relax and celebrate now that case numbers are low, especially during the festive season, and many of us have let our guards slip.
Doctor Fong says we are all human but this must stop now if we hope to reduce the impact of the impending third wave of COVID-19 expected early in 2022.
He hopes that we will all take this advice to heart and do what is right.
