New COVID-19 health protection guidelines announced by Doctor Fong

Higher-risk businesses, such as gyms, movie theatres, video gaming shops, cyber cafes, taverns, bars, billiard shops and amusement arcades in Viti Levu cannot open for at least the next 14 days.

Restaurants in Viti Levu may not open for in-person dining but may offer delivery and takeaway services.

The curfew hours will remain from 11pm to 4am.

Supermarkets and shops selling food and open-air markets can open so that people can buy food.

Banks, FNPF and pharmacies can open.

However, it is vital that vendors and businesses ensure strict physical distancing before opening their doors.

Make sure customers in queues are spaced out by two metres and manage crowding.

The Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor James Fong says all employers who can allow their employees to work from home should do so. Other businesses and places of work can open, though staff must have careFIJI downloaded on their phones. If someone does not have a smartphone, their contact tracing details must be recorded every day.

Customer-facing businesses should limit customer capacity to 50 percent.

The Permanent Secretary for Health says businesses that do not manage these risks with COVID-safe plans will be shut down.

He says the virus is here and we cannot afford to turn a crowded market into the next centre of an outbreak.

Doctor Fong says everyone should wear masks.

If you cough or sneeze, do it in your elbow or in a disposable tissue.

Report your symptoms to the nearest fever clinic.

Non-work gatherings of any size cannot take place anywhere. That includes religious services, weddings and other events. This gathering restriction applies nationwide.

However the ministry will be allowing people to hold funeral services with up to 20 people.

If you do not have an essential reason to leave your house, do not leave your house. Stay home and keep your children at home.

If you absolutely need to travel, wear a mask and make sure you have the careFIJI app switched on.

Outdoor exercise is allowed but you should only interact with other members of your household and keep a two-metre distance from all others.

Team contact sports like rugby, basketball and soccer cannot be played.

Doctor Fong says if the measures are not followed and if they see massive crowds of maskless people milling about, they will shut down entire towns and cities. From midday today, they are also suspending outbound inter-island passenger travel from Viti Levu. Passengers can travel to Viti Levu, but no one on Viti Levu can leave until these measures have expired.

Domestic passenger flights off Viti Levu have also been suspended.

As for international flights, they have suspended all passenger air travel into and out of Fiji for non-medical purposes.

Doctor Fong says we need every available room in quarantine for Fijians in Fiji at this time.