Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says funeral gatherings and grog drinking remain the major concerns as far as the spread of COVID-19 is concerned in the country.
Doctor Fong says a factor that is promoting the spread of the virus is that many people are gathering in a limited space such as large families at home, dormitory-style living, crowded settlements and crowded work spaces with poor ventilation.
He says they will limit the size of funeral-related gatherings.
Doctor Fong says we need 10 persons only at the burial site.
He says funeral gatherings before and after the burials need to be discouraged strongly as they generate the most covid-unsafe behaviour.
Doctor Fong says if they need to happen, we need to limit them to 10 persons or fewer and to no more than 1 hour.
He says they have been seeing in recent weeks that a number of infected individuals have reported drinking grog with others in their cluster, and they have reason to believe that grog drinking is becoming a significant factor in the spread of the virus.
Doctor Fong says grog drinking involves close contact with others and drinking out of a common cup, which create perfect conditions for the virus to spread from one person to another.
He says grog drinking is an important part of our culture and our social life in Fiji, but we must ask that people refrain from sharing grog with people from outside their household during this pandemic period.
Don’t invite anyone to your house, don’t go to anyone else’s house, don’t share a bowl with colleagues after work, or during work or in any other place.
You also need to protect your personal space at home and at work by making sure you maintain COVID-safe measures at all times, whether you are in your home or outside your home.
Do not engage in any gatherings outside of your home.
Avoid crowds and contained spaces, and keep washing your hands.
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