Permanent Secretary for Health Dr James Fong says preliminary evidence indicates that the Omicron variant does not make people sicker than the Delta and other strains.
Dr Fong says they are aware of misinformation being peddled widely on social media and it needs to be reiterated that the evidence on Omicron variant’s impact on the transmissibility of the virus, severity of disease, and effect of prior immunity (from vaccination or infection) is still in the very early stages so conclusions cannot be made yet.
He further says if anything, the direction is towards less severity adding they again emphasize that this data is very early and more will be known once more people, including the most vulnerable, get infected.
Dr Fong adds furthermore, this variant may be more transmissible than the Delta variant; it may cause reinfection in people who have been previously infected with another variant; and it has been seen to infect people who are fully vaccinated – although, so far, the fully vaccinated cases have been generally mild or with no symptoms.
The Permanent Secretary for Health Dr James Fong remains 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.
Dr Fong 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.
He says and many of us have let our guards slip, 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.
Dr Fong adds he hopes that we will all take this advice to heart and do what is right, but he has also 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.
He 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.
Dr Fong adds 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.
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