Acting Prime Minister and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the worst of the Omicron wave is behind us and it’s time for a new direction.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum told a press conference yesterday that hospitalisations were falling and the number of Fijians getting booster shots was rising every day.

“It’s time for a new direction; one that is guided by the same principles our Hon Prime Minister set out, one that considers the lessons we’ve learned, and one recognises that while the pandemic is not over it has entered a totally new phase,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.

“What this means in practice is that we no longer need to look at the world solely through the lens of COVID-19. We are moving to a stage where we can remove our blinders and treat COVID as an endemic disease instead of a pandemic, not unlike the common flu.”

He said COVID cases weren’t going away but Fiji’s focus from a health and policy standpoint would be on particularly vulnerable groups while the rest rebuild Fiji’s economy and focus on addressing the other challenges affecting the lives of ordinary people.

“For the past several weeks, we have been carefully reviewing the Omicron variant’s impact on our healthcare system, consulting our experts and crafting a new phase for our response that takes the nation forward at the responsible pace our Hon Prime Minister asked of us,” Mr Sayed- Khaiyum said.

“We have far more certainty than we did two years, or even one year, ago. Still, it is important to mention there are several variables we’ll continue to monitor over the coming months. But we promised the Fijian people that we will only have restrictions if they are truly necessary, and we’ll lift them as soon as we can.”

Also at the press conference were Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services, Dr James Fong, Minister for Education Premila Kumar and Commissioner of Police, Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho.

Restrictions lifted:

• From today, the curfew will be lifted completely.
• Nightclubs will not be allowed to operate. However, taverns, many of which used to be licensed as nightclubs, may open until 1am at 80 per cent capacity if seating is properly spaced out, dancing is not allowed.
• Public Service Vehicles can operate at full capacity with mask- wearing onboard all vehicles.
• Indoor and outdoor sporting events may be held with spectators at 80% capacity provided those spectators wear masks.
• Businesses, venues, and houses of worship may open at full capacity, with the exception of high-risk businesses at 80 per cent capacity. High-risk business- es include cinemas, bars, taverns, gyms, hairdressing and salon services, tattoo parlours, and gaming venues.
• The careFIJI App and QR will not be required
• The Vax Check tool is also no longer required. However, the high-risk businesses and all Care Fiji Certified businesses will be required to check the vaccination cards of their customers.
• There is no more restriction on informal gatherings
• The full guidance on mask wearing will be published online
• Travellers 12 years and above entering Fiji from a Travel Partner Country may produce a negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) taken within 24 hours of the flight’s scheduled departure. In other words, the more expensive PCR tests are no longer required to board flights to Fiji.
• A three-day Care Fiji Certified Accommodation requirement for arrivals into Fiji in favour of an entry system that allows passengers to submit confirmation of a booked COVID-19 test in Fiji within 48 hours of landing in Fiji is being reviewed. Before changes are made Fiji need more testing sites open.
• All Care Fiji Certified hotels, transport operators, and businesses must welcome this flexibility with stronger adherence to the measures that are required to maintain their certifications.
• If someone fails to meet the high bar of COVID safety Fiji has set for our visitors, Fiji’s COVID safe Ambassadors and Police will shut you down.

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