By Timoci Vula in Suva
Fiji will lift the covid-19 pandemic containment borders everywhere on the main island of Viti Levu from 4am tomorrow, Friday, September 17.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama announced this tonight, fulfilling what he had declared earlier last month that the borders on Viti Levu would be lifted once 60 percent of the targeted Fijian population was fully vaccinated.
He said domestic travel would be open everywhere on Viti Levu.
“Inter-island travel, however, will remain highly controlled, including to Vanua Levu, until we achieve higher vaccination coverage in Vanua Levu and our outer islands,” Bainimarama said.
“With domestic travel open, public service vehicles will be able to operate at 70 percent capacity.”
Bainimarama said employers who were required under covid-safe measures to transport staff to and from work would no longer need to do so.
The curfew hours for Viti Levu will be from 9pm until 4am.
The PM announced tonight that 62 percent of all adults in the country were fully vaccinated and more than 97 percent had received their first dose.
He said this meant Fiji was “quickly becoming one of the safest countries in the world”.
“With well over half of adults in Fiji fully vaccinated, our Covid-19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce — which includes our top medical and policy experts — has developed a careful framework that details the next phase of our response.”
Timoci Vula is a Fiji Times reporter. Republished with permission.
Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz
