16 April 2020 – Quarantine extended from 14 days to 28 days

Type of Intervention: Other Announcement
Sectors Involved: Immigration, Local Government
Intervention Categories: Surveillance and response measures; Tracing and quarantining contacts; International travel measures
Level of Jurisdiction: National
Lead People/Agency: The Honorable, Mr. Voreqe Bainimarama (Prime Minister )and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services laid the decision in the extension of the 28 days of quarantine. The implementation was led by the Prime and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services

Overview: This intervention was an announcement of Fiji’s 17th COVID-19 case and also on the extension of quarantine days from 14 to 28. The target audience are mainly the general public (in terms of number of cases) and foreigners/ people moving into the country.
The patient was from Vanua Levu and he is 21 yrs old. He contracted the disease from Fiji’s nineth COVID-19 patient i.e. they were in the same plane while travelling from India to Singapore.
He did not show any symptoms during the 14 days of quarantine, only and until when the medical team widenend their scope of testing to all people who had close contact with the COVID-19 patients (thats was how he was identified)
From this 17th case, Fiji decided to shift the quarantine days from 14 to 28. This will allow the medical officers to continue monitoring the individuals for longer period of time and ensure that no one is unknowingly spreading the virus to other people.
The Prime Minister enforced the importance of maintaining 2 meters physical distancing with the people beside you.
Full details here: https://www.fiji.gov.fj/Media-Centre/Speeches/STATEMENT-BY-THE-PRIME-MINISTER-HON-VOREQE-BA-(11)

Other links: 1
Type of Justification: Statement from the Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services: The Fijian Goverment
Source of Evidence or Justification: National – government
Evidence/Justification: The statement was given by the Prime Minister in response to COVID -19.