It’s interesting how things have changed over the months since the announcement of our first COVID-
19 case in Lautoka.
As the pandemic continues to grip the world, we aren’t immune at all.
On the international front, the CNN reports that China is just one of several countries trying to produce
a vaccine for the virus.
The virus, CNN reported, has infected more than 10.3 million people around the world and killed at least
505,000.
As we live with hope that a vaccine is discovered soon, US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci
is reportedly optimistic.
His view comes in the wake of reports that at least 17 vaccines are in clinical evaluation around the world.
That’s according to the World Health Organization.
According to its website, WHO’s landscape of COVID-19 candidate vaccines lists 17 candidate vaccines in
clinical evaluation and 132 in preclinical evaluation.
In the US, many states are still hesitant to reopen following surges in cases in some that have already
reopened.
Back in our region, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, as our front page report today suggests,
has made clear the conditions under which travellers will be allowed into and out of New Zealand.
During a question and answer session in the New Zealand Parliament this week, she said the decision
on which New Zealand would open its borders to a certain country would be determined by how long it had been free of the virus, and “whether or not there is adequate contact tracing, testing capacity, and things that indicate a similar system and regime to ours that can give us confidence that if an area is declaring itself free of community transmission that that is the case”.
She highlighted contact tracing and the rapid turnaround of testing “so that we can be assured of the
public data for any country being accurate data from which we make our judgments”.
Countries, she insisted, would have to ensure there was no community transmission of COVID-19.
Our Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete believes there was nothing wrong with Fiji’s COVID-19
testing measures.
Fiji, he insisted, had followed all required isolation procedures.
We are left to ponder though on the impact of any delay in our borders reopening and welcoming back
visitors.
Thousands of people have been forced to work reduced hours.
Many are on reduced pay, many are on leave without pay, and thousands have lost their jobs.
As we look to the powers that be for some sense of relief, we are reminded about the need to adhere strictly to rules that can keep us safe from COVID-19.
We are not out of the woods yet.
Let’s remind ourselves that we have a fight on our hands to keep the virus at bay.
Our focus should be on keeping away a second wave.
That’s a massive undertaking.
