Government has set out stringent measures and mandatory minimum parameters for safely operating essential businesses.

The Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport says any person who directly or indirectly refuses or neglects to comply with the authorisation by the Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services commits an offence and is liable to a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment of up to 5 years or both under the Public Health Act 1935.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses shall ensure all employees, customers, clients shall wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks and maintain 2-metre physical distance at all times.

The employer or business shall bear the responsibility to provide all employees with PPE.

Businesses also need to make available provision for hand washing facilities and/or sanitisers to employees and customers and all employees, customers, clients shall download the careFIJI mobile application and keep the device Bluetooth turned on.

In the event an employee does not have a smartphone, the employer/business shall bear the responsibility to provide smartphones and in the event, a customer or client does not have the careFIJI application downloaded with the device Bluetooth turned on, the business shall disallow entry onto the premises.

Once the careFIJI check-in service is available, businesses shall be required to register and download a unique digital geo-identification indicator, through the use of a QR Code, to identify the location of their businesses and various branches.

The QR Code will need to be printed and displayed in the entry and exit locations of their business and various branches.

All customers shall be required to scan the QR Code using their careFIJI application when visiting the business location, whereby phone number and the time of entry and exit will be recorded.

Where possible, businesses shall have video surveillance installation activated with footage to be made available to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS).

Businesses shall only operate at a maximum capacity of 50% of the establishment, except in production lines where the 50% capacity may not be possible. In this case, the 2-metre physical distancing shall apply.

Businesses shall set up temperature monitoring at the entrance or employee gate to take the temperature.

Only those with normal temperature can enter. Once an employee is identified to have fever 37.8ºC and above and/or COVID-19 like symptoms, this must be documented and communicated to MHMS.

Businesses shall maintain an Absentee Register.

Should an employee show COVID-19 like symptoms whilst at work or not report to work on their scheduled time, the employer must make contact with the employee to ascertain the reason for absence. Should an employee report sick with COVID-19 like symptoms, the MHMS must be notified immediately on 158, with all details of the employee.

Should an employee be identified as a primary or secondary contact of a positive case, the employee must inform the employer immediately and contact the MHMS.

The employee must self-isolate until clearance is obtained from MHMS.

Businesses shall establish a dedicated isolation room/section to isolate suspected COVID-19 cases with a referral process to MHMS in place.

Employees should be trained in recognising and responding to symptoms of COVID-19 as they become apparent in themselves or in others, know the protocols for reporting sick employees and customers and where the isolation room is.

Businesses shall maintain safe hygiene protocols and disinfect all frequently-touched surfaces on a regular basis and businesses operating shall form and maintain operational Bubbles, with a register of details of movement amongst a group of employers/employees.

Businesses must ensure that there is no intermingling of separate bubbles or shifts and this needs to be documented.

Awareness to be created to maintain the integrity of an established bubble, even out of office.

Businesses shall ensure breaks are staggered and employees at no time, co-mingle to create a crowd (3 or more), share cutlery, utensils, bilos and/or cigarettes or any other consumables and at no time shall there be social gatherings at the workplace.

Businesses shall have adequate ventilation and circulation of air and all employees shall be from within the same containment area, as defined by the MHMS.

There will be no moving in and out containment areas, between containment areas, or between containment and non-containment areas.

If a person is from outside the containment area, they shall be relocated and remain in the containment area of the business site or office.

Businesses shall provide company transportation to all employees from home to the business site, to maintain the integrity of the respective bubbles.
Employees shall not use public transportation and private transportation may be used with strict protocols.

Businesses shall engage in regular on-site training and awareness on the above COVID safe measures.

Retail Delivery and Services:
1. For delivery services:
(i) All delivery items shall be packaged, packed and sanitised.
(ii) Delivery staff shall not enter the place of delivery unless necessary. If the item requires delivery staff entering the premises, the delivery staff shall ensure as minimal interaction as possible with customers and maintain all COVID safe measures such as wearing of PPE and maintaining physical distancing.
(iii) Prior to re-entering the vehicle, the delivery staff must sanitise.
(iv) Businesses shall maintain records of customers and vehicle operators/delivery staff for contact tracing purposes.
(v) All delivery staff shall download the careFIJI mobile application and keep the device Bluetooth turned on.
(vi) In case of an emergency such as a mechanical issue or accident, the driver may attend to the emergency following all COVID safe measures such as wearing of PPE, 2-metre physical distancing and must ensure they do not come in contact with any person.
(vii) Businesses (Drivers) shall maintain a log-record of the items, date and time of delivery and the sanitisation procedures followed. If staff entered the premises, this shall be noted to ascertain the level of risk.
(viii) High touch points of the delivery vehicle shall be disinfected at the start and end of each day and when rotating delivery staff.
(ix) For outsourced services of delivery, the businesses shall ensure the service provider follows the said protocols.

2. For on-call services:
(i) Service staff shall maintain 2-metre physical distance and shall ensure as minimal interaction as possible with customers.
(ii) Delivery of service is preferred in-store. However, when providing off-site services, service staff shall maintain all COVID safe measures such as wearing of PPE and maintaining physical distancing.
(iii) Prior to re-entering the vehicle, the maintenance staff must sanitise.
(iv) Businesses shall maintain records of customers and maintenance staff for contact tracing purposes.
(v) All maintenance staff shall download the careFIJI mobile application and keep the device Bluetooth turned on.
(vi) High touch points of the vehicle shall be disinfected at the start and end of each day and when rotating maintenance staff.
(vii) For this purpose, on-call services include, but not limited to: Locksmith, Plumbing, Electrical, Tyre and Vehicle spare parts, Air-Conditioning, Landscaping and Mechanical.

Where practical, use of cash should be discouraged. Businesses are to use integrated technologies to enable automation, such as contactless payment, where possible. Where use of cash or card swipes cannot be avoided, ensure proper hygiene and sanitisation practices are in place.

This also applies only to essential and economically essential industries.

High-risk businesses shall remain closed, which includes, schools, gyms, cinemas, video gaming shops and cyber cafes.

Also not allowed to operate are taverns, bars, billiard shops, amusement arcades, hairdressers, barber shops, beauty and massage therapy venues, sauna and tattoo parlors.

Protocols for Movement of Trucks and Cargo on Board Vessels

Protocol for Movement of Goods Land Transportation

Protocols for Business Operation