The government has strengthened its conditions for entry for incoming travelers from red list countries in response to the newly-reported Omicron variant of COVID-19.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says they are monitoring the variant closely as it has been shown to carry significant mutations.

Doctor Fong says the process of risk assessment for the red list and travel partner countries was developed with the knowledge that new variants of the virus were highly likely to be detected.

“For now, we have installed escalated pre-departure protocols for some countries. This has been there always but we just have to name some other countries that will require escalated pre-departure protocols”.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong

He adds it analyses factors such as country vaccine coverage and rates of community transmission.

The government will maintain the entry conditions for tourism arrivals from travel partner countries, which include requirements such as full vaccination with an approved COVID-19 vaccine, a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken 72 hours prior to departure and a two-night stay in a Care-Fiji Certified hotel.

It also includes an additional COVID-19 test on Day 2 after arrival.

Doctor Fong says the same conditions apply for returning residents and those visiting friends and relatives, with the exception that they are required to spend three nights after arrival in a Care-Fiji Certified hotel.

“We do need to be quite stringent with our protocols with regards to travelers coming in from that part of the world. We are watching the situation with regards to some of the travel partner countries and we are awaiting any updates that will arise from their on-going investigations”.

The preference of the Ministry is that travelers from red list countries go to a listed TPC for ten days prior to travelling to Fiji.

However, given some international border restrictions, particularly in Southern Africa, the Ministry understands some Fijian citizens and residents may need to book travel directly to Fiji.

For Fijians located in red list countries, which have always included the Southern African States, the measures for incoming travelers are as follows:
1. Travellers must be fully vaccinated with one of Fiji’s approved vaccines;
2. Travellers must undergo escalated pre-departure protocols, which include self-isolation for the five days prior to travel under the oversight of the employer or sponsor and test negative on day 5 and within 72 hours prior to departure; and
3. On arrival to Fiji, the quarantine period for travelers from red list countries will increase to 14 days with a PCR test done on arrival on day 5 and on day 12.