IN light of the growing threat of COVID-19 in the country, Temotu, the only province that is still COVID-free, is now preparing measures towards a possible detection of the virus in the province.
In a statement yesterday Temotu Provincial Secretary Alan Agassi said Temotu is very fearful and therefore had already placed certain preparatory measures in the province.
Mr Agassi said these measures include the vaccination rollout program and the implementation of the provincial response plan.
“Vaccination work is continuing, so as of 19th February report period, 67.9 per cent of the expected population to be vaccinated in the province have been done.
“37.7 per cent have taken their second jab.
“This is continuing throughout the province,” Mr Agassi.
With regards to the provincial response plan, the provincial secretary said P-DOC Temotu had already put in place its plan and actions.
The P-DOC Temotu response plan is as follows;
- The provincial quarantine facility will be the Hibiscus Motel in Lata. Preparations are underway but more work needs to be done to get the place ready.
- The second quarantine site is planned for Manuopo.
- Village communities in high prone areas of Santa Cruz and Reef Islands need to establish village committees to promote awareness plan and to disseminate information to their communities when COVID-19 cases are detected.
- Protocol on how to manage the arrival of flights in Lata and Lomlom as well as training for those at the airport is already in place.
- Protocol is already prepared and ready for implementation on how to handle ships travelling to Lata. The same protocol will be applied to all ports in the province.
- No passenger from Honiara is allowed to go to Temotu until all preparation have been put in place and officers fully trained on how to deal with those travelling to the province and how to deal with positive COVID-19 cases.
- Temotu will need additional health staff (nurses and doctors) when positive cases are detected in the province.
- If the National Oversight Committee allowed Temotu people stranded in Honiara to be repatriated, provincial government officials and business officials must be prioritised.
However, Mr Agassi said the response plan depended very much on the availability of funds.
“Funding is needed to be made available to support province manage the quarantine centres and especially building infrastructures and help in conducting awareness and training in communities and frontline officers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Secretary to the Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Oversight Committee (NOC), Dr Jimmie Rodgers has warned people to be careful not to take the virus to the Temotu.
“One of our province has not record any cases of COVID-19 yet, that is Temotu Province, therefore, we are very careful not to export the illness to the province,” he said. Dr Rodgers was speaking during the Talk Back Show on Sunday.
