The Ministry of Health and Medical Services says that COVID-19 anti-vaxxers are those who require more awareness because they were being swayed with fake news on social media.

They are not enemies of the state, Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services Dr James Fong said.

Dr Fong was speaking during the Post COVID-19 Border Training at the Fiji Airports Aviation Academy, Nadi yesterday.

“We consider them as people who require extra explanation and understanding. That’s the strategy the Ministry of Health will always take with regard to people who have sentiments that are not conducive to vaccinations,” he said.

He added it is usually due to the misinformation that people receive that drive them to be anti-vaxxers and also the anti-vaccination campaigns can also hinder the work they do in trying to open borders.

“The idea we really trying to push hard on is the idea of opening borders within vaccinated corridors, so that we create our own quarantine corridor within vaccinated corridors where people can be free and travel can be a lot more-free but of-course all those efforts will never come to a realisation if there are ongoing anti-vaccine sentiments,” Dr Fong said.

He said the training was vital because Fiji was committed to reopening its borders and create travel bubbles with Australia and New Zealand.

“This will have a positive effect on our economy and revival of the tourism industry,” he said.

Dr Fong said the training would also include mock exercises at the port of entry which would enable them to identify gaps for the COVID-19 protocols.

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