PRIME Minister Manasseh says the country’s western border is the weakest link in our fight against COVID-19.
The Prime Minister highlighted this during his nationwide address on Monday as close neighbor Papua New Guinea (PNG) recorded 2,066 cases of which about 58 cases were from Bougainville, a statement issued by Prime Minister Press Secretariat said.
He said authorities are watching the daily rise in COVID-19 cases in PNG very closely.
“In the last 12 days from 12 to 24 April, PNG recorded 2,066 cases of which about 58 cases were from Bougainville.”
The Prime Minister said these figures are of great concern and that the risk of getting more cases of COVID-19 in Solomon Islands is much higher now than any other time before.
“My good people living along our western border, please be extremely careful. Please do not cross the border to Bougainville. Please do not allow anyone from Bougainville to cross over to our side of the border,” he said.
Prime Minister Sogavare said Bougainville has now recorded 171 cases of COVID-19 so far.
He said this is an average of about five new cases every day.
“For all border zone communities, I ask every person that is 18 years old and over to turn up for your vaccination when the vaccination teams come to your areas. The best way to protect yourself, your family, your community, your province, and your country is to get yourself vaccinated,” he said.
PM encouraged the vaccinating teams to ensure everyone that are 18 years old and above that turns up must be vaccinated, unless they have certain conditions that prevents them from being vaccinated.
“The global COVID-19 pandemic is getting worse. The risks to Solomon Islands are much greater now than ever before,” he said.
