Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama has announced a number of measures to try to isolate and contain COVID-19 after the first case of coronavirus in Lautoka.

Border Restrictions and Self Quarantine
By: Vijay Narayan

From midnight tonight our border restrictions on Mainland China, Italy, Iran, Spain and South Korea will be extended to foreign nationals who have been present in the USA and all of Europe including the United Kingdom within 14 days of their intended travel.

Also from midnight tonight, anyone who enters our country from any overseas destination will be required to self quarantine for 14 days meaning they must stay in one place and avoid contact with others or going out in public.

The most stringent travel restrictions have been announced for Lautoka
By: Vijay Narayan

The Prime Minister says starting at midnight tonight, all schools and non-essential businesses within the Greater Lautoka Area will be closed until further notice.

The government is defining the Greater Lautoka Area as the area spanning from King’s Road at Nacilau Junction past Matawalu Village, to the feeder road at Vakabuli Junction, to the Queen’s Road at Natalau Junction.

Banks, supermarkets and pharmacies, and other essential businesses in the Greater Lautoka Area will remain open.

Essential businesses include air and rescue services, air traffic control services, civil aviation, telecommunication services, food and sanitary manufacturing plants, electricity services, emergency services, fire services, health and hospital services, lighthouse services, meteorological services, mine pumping, ventilation and winding, sanitary services, supply and distribution of fuel and gas, power, telecommunications, garbage collection, transport services and water and sewage services.

Fijians who work but do not live in this area should report to the nearest office outside of the monitored area, regardless of whether their industry falls under the essential businesses list.

If there is no branch of your company outside of the Greater Lautoka area, please contact your employer and the Prime Minister says government will, in the next few days, announce how your absence from work will be treated during this situation.

Bainimarama says they advise all employers to accommodate the needs of your employees and not make any employees redundant.

 He says basically, if you are living in the Greater Lautoka Area, you will now stay in the Greater Lautoka Area. If you do not live in the Greater Lautoka Area, you cannot travel there, even if you work there.

 By continuing the essential services, Bainimarama says the government will ensure the supply of food will continue to be available.

In order to maintain food security, the Agriculture Marketing Authority will be buying fruits, vegetables and root crops at the border of the Greater Lautoka Area from the farmers and middle-men to be sold to the vendors for sale at local markets in the Greater Lautoka Area.

The Minister for Agriculture will provide the specifics of this programme this afternoon.

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