Expect Social Gathering Numbers To Reduce, Ministry Of Health To Announce Tougher Measures

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services will be announcing stringent measures related to mask wearing and social gatherings soon.

In its daily update, the Ministry outlined that while they promoted individual COVID safe measures, it was evident that  more stringent community-level measures was needed.

"As such we will be announcing more stringent measures related to masking and social gatherings later this week."

While most of our more severe public health and social measures are based on changes in hospitalization data, the evidence is clear that we do need to keep up with measures to suppress transmission so that hospitalization numbers remain low.

The evidence is that Omicron causes less severe disease than other variants. However, it infects a larger number of people in a shorter period of time, which means even a smaller percentage of people becoming severely ill may still mean a large number requiring hospitalization, which will put pressure on our health system.

The Ministry acknowledged that Fiji's "testing capability is being tested at present and as such the public is reminded that we will need to prioritize our testing for people at higher risk of severe disease to prevent severe outcomes as well as to suppress transmission."

Source: Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

Who is in the higher risk of severe disease category?

If you are over the age of 50, or have any significant chronic disease like heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, diabetes, hypertension or you are obese or pregnant.

If anyone in your home is at higher risk of developing severe disease, please try to isolate yourself away from them.

You should assume you are infected, and self-isolate, if you develop any cold/flu-like symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, body ache, fever. If you have any of these symptoms, please stay home to prevent infecting others, especially those who may be more at risk of severe disease. You should get tested if you can, but especially if you are at higher risk of severe disease.

The isolation period is for 10 days. You may stop isolating once 10 days have passed since the start of symptoms (with at least 3 consecutive days of no symptoms) or since the positive test (for asymptomatic cases).

The Ministry of Health is using a 7-day isolation period for our own staff, requiring a negative rapid antigen test on days 6 and 7 to help maintain essential health services.

For the general public, a 10 day quarantine period will apply to all individuals who are close contacts of a case. You do not need to be tested if you are a close contact unless you develop symptoms. A close contact is anyone who lives in the same house as a case, or has been in a confined space for at least 1 hour, or has come within 2 metres, or has had any physical contact, in the 2 days before the case’s symptoms started and up to ten days after.

Advice to the public on COVID safe measures

The festive season has brought about the significant movement of people as families reunite to celebrate Christmas and New Year. Gatherings have been observed where COVID-safe measures have not been followed, or people have attended while having symptoms.

Again the Ministry is asking: If you have relaxed in your observance of COVID safe measures, that you please resume now.

• Always carry a well-fitted mask when you leave home,
• wear it in any public indoor settings, and outdoor settings where there are crowds
• Avoid crowds and
• Avoid poorly ventilated spaces.
• Maintain at least 2 metres of physical distancing from others when outside your home.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
• Stay home and do not attend any gatherings if you have any symptoms of COVID-19
• Get vaccinated if you are eligible and have not yet been vaccinated. And get a booster dose if you are over the age of 18, but especially if you are at higher risk of severe disease.