Dear Member,

Please find below this week’s updates regarding Solomon Islands’ COVID-19 situation.

Attached is a copy of the Prime Minister’s nationwide address yesterday (Monday 10 August).

Scroll down for a summary.

 

COVID-19 Status

We have now been COVID-19 free for almost 4 months.

 

Measures against Delta Variant

Government have suspended incoming passenger service flights to the country to give our frontline ministries time to review our existing SOPs that were developed prior to the Delta variant to ensure they are fit for purpose in addressing the highly transmissible Delta variant should it breach our borders.

Assessments have been conducted on quarantine facilities to ensure they are able to contain the Delta variant without leaking it to outside communities should we have people infected with the variant in the facilities.

Government is currently reviewing the SOPE Regulations to ensure our testing regime and COVID-19 vaccination drive are enhanced.

Government is also reviewing when we will reopen the borders and at what rate we allow people to enter from countries with different risk profiles from the Delta variant.

Potential entry points for the Delta Variant into the country

COVID-19 virus can only enter the country through our international airports, international seaports and sufferance ports, and through our western border.

As such, Government has invested much attention in the management of these potential entry points to ensure we detect potential COVID-19 risk before it reaches the country or reaches our borders.

 

New Shipping Advisory

A new Shipping Advisory will be released later this week outlining new measures for some classes of foreign vessels coming into the country or domestic ships that travel out of the country and return to the country.

The Prime Minister in his nationwide address this week reassured that every single foreign vessel that enters the country undergoes a COVID-19 risk assessment by the Oversight Committee’s Vessel Exemption Committee.

Quarantine Station Update / Isolation Ward

Since the temporary closure of our borders, the number of people in quarantine stations had dropped to 4 people.

We do not have anyone at the isolation wards at the NRH.

 

Sea Ports

In the first week of this month 6 foreign vessels were cleared at Honiara port by health port officers.

Authorities have now implemented more stringent measures for frontliners discharging duties at ports of entry into the country. All frontliners involved in clearing of vessels must be fully vaccinated and they also wear full Level 2 PPEs – which is a gown, face mask and gloves. They adhere strictly to the Infection Prevention Control standards and the relevant SOPs.

 

COVID-19 testing

Government have successfully installed COVID-19 testing capability at the laboratory in Kilu’ufi Hospital in Malaita.

This increases our testing sites to 4 – the NRH molecular laboratory, the Public Health laboratory in Honiara, Gizo hospital laboratory and now Kilu’ufi hospital laboratory.

 

COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage

As of 7 August 2021, Solomon Islands have administered a total of 56,928 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

13,188 people have now been fully vaccinated, including myself. This is only 3.2 % of the total eligible population to be vaccinated of 414,327 people.

30,552 people have received their first doses and are now waiting for the second doses.

 

NRH Preparation for community transmission

The National Referral Hospital (NRH) will shortly be implementing COVID-19 screening at its car park area between the hospital and the eye center for all persons presenting at the hospital.

The public is reminded that only emergency cases or the very sick or referred cases will be allowed to go to the NRH. All other health complaints will be attended to at the respective clinics in Honiara city.

All Infection, Prevention and Control measures within the hospital will be upgraded and strictly followed as if and when we are experiencing a community transmission.