Fiji’s border quarantine facilities and protocols have been exhaustively reviewed to protect against transmission stemming from individuals entered into quarantine or isolation.

The Ministry of Health says a number of measures have been taken.

The quarantine capacity is to be capped at 300 from now on.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Dr James Fong, says this will be reviewed as and when appropriate.

•Hotel workers deemed as “high-risk” will include housekeeping staff, maintenance, and reception staff and will be accommodated within the quarantine facility.

•Dr Fong says CCTV coverage has been upgraded in selected quarantine facilities, for improved monitoring and surveillance.

He adds all infection prevention protocols have been reviewed in all quarantine facilities and a refresher program has been carried out for all hotel, RFMF and Health staff.

Internal reviews of the standard cleaning & disinfection protocols and the food and amenities delivery and exchange protocols for quarantine facilities have been conducted.

The PS says new mitigation measures have been introduced to address the risk related to transmission of the virus within tightly-contained spaces within quarantine facilities in the course of operations and frontline surveillance reporting, which includes mandatory reporting for staff on leave, has been strengthened.

He adds routine surveillance swabbing of all quarantine facility workers, health officials, military, and transfer companies will step-up from a fortnightly basis to a weekly basis (once every 7 days), to ensure early identification and appropriate management of cases.

He says the Ministry has escalated immunization rates for quarantine facilities and personnel – 90% 0f hotel workers, 100% of transfer drivers and 100% of health workers and military personnel are fully-vaccinated.

Dr Fong says well-run quarantine facilities with adequate bed capacity are critical to the containment of COVID-19.

He is urging for the public’s cooperation in establishing quarantine facilities.

He highlights we are all safer when suitable facilities are open and available to cater for Fijians who may have been exposed to COVID-19.

Dr Fong says the more facilities are opened and run in accordance with these protocols, the higher level of success we’ll obtain in our containment of the virus.

Additionally, these facilities will allow Fijians who are returning to Fiji after seeking medical treatment to safely return home.