Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete. [File Photo]

Maintaining physical distancing should be one of the key lessons to take away from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Health Minister says we must continue with basic hygiene practices not only in dealing with COVID-19 but to also break the chain of infection for other communicable diseases.

Dr Waqainabete stressed the easing of some COVID-19 restriction does not mean that we are free from the virus.

“If you are going to the market for example normally there’s five of you that normally go to the market or supermarket and if only two you or one can go that’s even better. These are mechanisms which we can follow to ensure that we don’t mass congregate. The new normal is realizing that social distancing is a way in which you can break the chain of infection.”

Dr Waqainabete says this pandemic has also changed some business practices and this must continue.

“Some places restaurants have gone to takeaways so they are not congregating customers. The new normal is realizing that social distancing is a way in which you can break the chain of infection. It doesn’t mean that we reach a certain stage and we can go back to our old habits. I’m asking that we can’t do that. We must continue to have hygiene habits that are important not only for breaking the chain of COVID-19 but also other communicable diseases.”

The Health Minister says the pandemic has also highlighted the effectiveness of basic etiquette such as hand washing that is normally dismissed by the mass, adding that despite no new cases being recorded, Fijian must continue with a mindset of possible cases in the country.