A 24-hour curfew for the entire containment area was announced this morning to allow our contact tracing teams to trace, identify, and quarantine those who may have had contact with this community case, and lay the groundwork to flush out any other cases of the virus from our communities.

From this afternoon, we will be allowing for limited movement and COVID-safe activity within the Containment Area.

These measures are stringent enough to minimise risk, but smart enough to allow people to have some sense of normalcy in their lives.

The curfew hours will revert to 2300 hours to 0400 hours.

• Supermarkets and shops selling food can open so that people can buy food.
• Banks can open so that people can get money.
• Pharmacies can open so that people can get medicine.
• FNPF can open so that people can access funds.
• Other businesses, such as factories and shops, can open as well.

However, it is vital that vendors and businesses ensure strict physical distancing before opening their doors. Make sure customers in queues are spaced out by two metres and manage crowding. Customer-facing businesses should limit customer capacity to 50%. Businesses that do not manage these risks with COVID-safe plans will be shut down.

Within the Nadi and Lautoka Containment Area, higher-risk businesses, such as gyms, movie theatres, video gaming shops, cyber cafes, taverns, bars, billiard shops and amusement arcades cannot open for at least the next 14 days.

Restaurants may not open for in-person dining, but may offer delivery and take-away services.

We are also making arrangements to ensure fresh produce, basic food items, manufactured items, and other items can be sent in and out of the containment area.

We have managed this sort of cross-border exchange before, and the Police have been instructed to be quick about these approvals so that these goods can flow as freely as possible.

Feedback: rosi.doviverata@fijisun.com.fj