PRIME Minister (PM) Manasseh Sogavare says the declaration of the first positive COVID-19 case in Solomon Islands has now activated all protocols and standing operating procedures.
Sogavare when announcing the first positive case said risk assessment in the quarantine stations have been done by the surveillance team.
He said case investigation has already commenced and contact tracing is also in operation.
“This process includes informing our representatives in Manila to ensure that persons who came into contact with the infected student in Manila are also informed and necessary precautions put in place,” he said.
Sogavare said risk assessment is now being carried out for all front line staff that were working on the night the flight arrived from the Philippines.
“Based on the outcome of this assessment, front line staff that came into contact with the affected students will also be quarantined and tested,” he said.
He said while everybody has been working very hard to prevent the virus from reaching our shores, it is now still with everyone’s responsibility to ensure the virus is contained.
“In all my messages to you I have always said that if in the event the virus does enter our country, we are ready to identify it, which we have done; to isolate it, which we have done; to contain it, which we are doing, and to eliminate it, which we are also focusing our efforts on achieving,” he said.
Sogavare said his government is well aware of the risks posed by repatriating our students from the Philippines.
“We are also aware that keeping our children in the Philippines exposes them to even higher risks. As a responsible government we cannot close our eyes to the plight of our children and bringing them home was the humane thing to do,” he said.
He said when Philippines started partially reopening its international borders in August this year, his government negotiated to bring the students home with pre-departure protocols were agreed to for Manila and post arrival protocols were also agreed to in Honiara.
“We are prepared for this eventuality. We stand with our students remaining in the Philippines and those in quarantine and also with their parents,” he said.
Sogavare said his government has also activated the various elements, protocols and standard operating procedures of its preparedness plans. All the planning and simulations that we did over past months are now operational.
He then assured the nation that he has confidence in respective professionals as they will rise to the occasion and safeguard our country.
“There will be no general ‘Lock down’ because the Government has faith in our systems and the professionals responsible for managing them. If any lock-down is required the public will be advised in advance.
“I am confident that we will contain and manage the situation with minimal disruption to our daily lives. The confirmed case was detected in a controlled environment. This makes it easier for us to manage and contain it,” he said.
By IAN M.KAUKUI
Newsroom, Honiara
