SUVA, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Inbound passenger flights to Fiji will resume on Tuesday with new adaptations to border quarantine protocols, according to the COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce.
The Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reported that in light of the discovery of a potentially more contagious strain of coronavirus in Britain, Fiji's Health Ministry has completed its extensive review of its border quarantine processes.
The Health Ministry said the entry swab test will be conducted over day three and four as this will reduce the risk of a false negative result and improve the ability to identify cases of inflight transmission.
Stricter in-room quarantine protocols will be enforced, with no outdoor activity for new arrivals until a negative entry swab test result is received and heightened COVID-safe measures will be implemented for all border health unit personnel and hospital isolation unit frontline staff.
The COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce said the new strain of virus appears to be more transmissible. However, it is transmitted in the same manner as the existing strain, it is detectable through the same means of testing, and it is not considered more dangerous to human beings.
While the blanket restriction on inbound passenger flights has been lifted, the Permanent Secretary for the Health Ministry will maintain the tightly-controlled weekly quotas on inbound passenger numbers at the borders.
Fiji decided last week to cancel all inbound passenger flights to Fiji scheduled between last Thursday to Monday following a mutant coronavirus detected in Britain. Enditem
