The lockdown in Qauia settlement, Lami was lifted on Monday. The area with a population of more than 2800 people went on lockdown on June 8, after it recorded cases of COVID-19.
Beranadeta Seeto, 41, said it was like celebrating Fiji’s international rugby victory.
“As soon as the lockdown was lifted at 4am, residents walked right to Lami Town to buy bread for breakfast,” she said.
“To us, it was mental torture being under a lockdown, like our freedom was taken away from us.”
She said when the lockdown was enforced, they were not prepared so they had to survive with whatever they had and the food rations delivered by Government.
Qauia Women’s Club co-ordinator Taufa Qoro St. John said her family travelled to Nasese just to sit by the seashore to relax.
“I was emotional this morning, a whole lot of us were when the lockdown was lifted,” she said.
“But the fight against COVID-19 is not over yet so we are maintaining health measures in place such as social distancing, wearing masks and avoiding any sort of gathering.”
