Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong is expected to issue a statement later after a full analysis of the cases detected of the new COVID-19 variant of concern, Omicron in different parts of the world.
Fijivillage has asked the Fijian Health Ministry on our state of preparedness for Omicron.
We have also asked for clarification on the measures to ensure we do not have cases when people come in from December 1st, stay at the hotel for 3 days but move to travel safe areas.
We have also asked what would be the travel safe areas and how will people be transported and monitored.
Fijivillage has also asked whether it would be safe for international visitors to leave the hotel premises during those 3 days and what measures are in place.
We have also asked whether all this will change after assessments following the emergence of Omicron cases in different parts of the world.
Doctor Fong will issue a statement to clarify the matters later.
Meanwhile, the Sydney Morning Herald reports that NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard says it is possible the Omicron variant has already entered the state, where fully vaccinated international arrivals have not been required to enter hotel quarantine since November 1st.
Hazzard says this Omicron variant of the COVID virus is not well understood at this point, noting that it only took three weeks for the Delta variant to spread to 53 countries.
He says they have to expect that Omicron may already be in NSW.
NSW has so far recorded no cases of the Omicron variant in its genomic sequencing program.
The infections of two recent arrivals from southern Africa are currently being urgently sequenced after they tested positive last night. Hazzard says it was difficult to determine how many people arriving in Sydney had been in southern Africa, noting they had initially believed they would have one traveller who had recently been in the region through Sydney Airport last night but actually ended up with 14 on a Qatar Airways flight and 15 on an Emirates flight.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has said it is “inevitable” new variants of COVID-19 will enter Australia, describing changes to rules for international arrivals yesterday as a “precautionary approach” in light of the new Omicron variant.
Perrottet says we need to learn to live alongside the virus and to live alongside the various strains of the virus that will come our way, and the best thing we can do is get vaccinated and get booster shots.
Hotel quarantine was re-introduced for people who had recently been in southern Africa yesterday, in response to the new Omicron variant of COVID-19, which the World Health Organisation declared a variant of concern on Friday.
Perrottet says a total of 29 people had arrived in Sydney after spending time in southern Africa yesterday.
Last night, NSW Health announced changes to its isolation requirements for international arrivals.
Anyone arriving at Sydney Airport from overseas must self-isolate at their home or other accommodation for 72 hours.
In addition, in line with federal measures, people been in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, Malawi, or the Seychelles must enter two weeks hotel quarantine on arrival in Australia.
People who have already arrived in NSW will need to isolate for 14 days from their day of arrival at home.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the government will remain responsive to new evidence about the latest Omicron variant of COVID-19 and will take steps in line with the national plan.
Morrison expressed support for the 72-hour isolation period for those coming in from overseas as a “sensible and practical” step.
He says the new variant is concerning, though he says it was “not a surprise” during a pandemic.
He says Australia had managed to get through the Delta strain and achieve high vaccination rates.
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