COVID safe protocols will remain for the near future, despite the high vaccination rate.

COVID safe protocols will remain for the near future, despite the high vaccination rate.

The Health Ministry says changes to public health protection measures will only be made on the advice of the World Health Organization or ANZMAT.

Minister for Health, Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete says wearing of masks, physical distancing and other measures must remain a way of life until a revision of medical advisories surrounding COVID-19.

“We have to abide by that until the medical experts are able to give us advice. We are working with the technical team from WHO and ANZMAT and so forth (after) we can then be able to ease off”.

The Fiji Medical Association supports the Health Ministry’s COVID response efforts and says that decisions are well-informed.

“Obviously Ministry of Health had a lot of advice and discussions around what percentage fully vaccinated to have some degree of safety”.

Dr Waqainabete says wearing face masks has been crucial in preventing the further spread of COVID-19.

“I guess the biggest question is on masking but we’ve seen how significant masking has really helped us and we must continue to abide by these public health safety measures until the timing is right from my medical experts to be able to come off”.

The Health Ministry says that there will be no easing of COVID safe protocols even as far as the Holiday season.

Click here for the interactive GIS Dashboard