Government orders a halt to international service as pressure from covid-19 grows

By Barnabas Manebona

GOVERNMENT has officially banned international flights in and out of the country as its latest measure to keep covid-19 out.

This announcement was made last night by the Government Communication Unit, which adds that the ban became effective on Friday last week.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare had alluded to this course of action in his national address on Friday last week when he said, “We are in the process of closing our borders for international flights which is being progressively implemented with a partial lock down of international flight services currently in effect.

“Solomon Airlines scheduled flights have been suspended and will only provide flight services as and when required to support emergency operations and the repatriation of our citizens should that become necessary.

“In that connection, only returning citizens and residents have permitted to enter our country from the Brisbane – Honiara flight. Upon arrival over the past week they have been placed under strict compulsory quarantine for 14 days in our quarantine facilities. There will be no other incoming flights to Honiara.”

According to Government Communications, the ban was effective on Friday last week, although it was not explicitly stated in the prime minister’s address.

The ban comes as welcomed news for members of public, who had been crying out for this measure as early as last month before the country registered its first covid-19 suspect case.

This call intensified since then, with many coming out in social media pleading with government to take this drastic measure.

Last week, the medical fraternity came out publicly calling for a total ban on international flights, saying it should be enforced immediately because the reality is that Solomon Islands is not prepared for an outbreak.

Solomon Islands Medical Association (SIMA) put it bluntly that government should ban flights before the country registers its first covid-19 case.

What remains to be seen is whether this ban is timely enough to keep out covid-19 or whether it is too late, as Solomon Islands waits for results to three out of four samples from the latest covid-19 suspects.

The first had returned negative on Saturday.

THE National Disaster Operations Centre (NEOC) based at the National Disaster Management Officer (NDMO) is now on “Full Activation” mode following the announcement by His Excellency the Governor Generals declaring a “State of Public Emergency” in Solomon Islands as of 4pm yesterday afternoon. A measure taken by the Government in response to the continuing increase of the covid-19.

Since February 4, 2020, the NEOC had been placed on “Standby Activation” mode to provide support to the National Disaster Operations Committee (N-DOC) Health Sector Committee Emergency Operations Centre establishment, all the N-DOC Sector Committees and to the Provincial Emergency Operations Centres (PEOCs) and Sector Committee of the nine provinces.

The elevation to “Activation Mode” means that the NEOC is now fully operational in supporting coordination and implementation of the N-DOC and P-DOC sector responses. The NEOC involvement is essential in that it is part of Governments overall response mechanism under the country’s disaster management coordination arrangement. AS it stands the NEOC is the engine room that ensures the COVID-19 Response Intent of the National Disaster Council (NDC), N-DOC and the COVID-19 Oversight Committee established under the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC) are achieved in a coordinated manner.

In its continuing effort to prevent the virus from reaching our shores the NEOC has already deployed four National Emergency Response Team (NERT) members to further support the N-DOC Sector Committee for Camp Management as of Monday, March 23, 2020 to coordinate the management of all Institutional Quarantine Facilities.

The NERT is a nationally deployable team attached to the NEOC and directly responsible to the N-DOC.

Given the State of Emergency enforce for the country, the NEOC has now taken over the development and dissemination of all SIG consolidated Situational Report (SITREP) as of Thursday, March 26, 2020.

The National disaster council through the NDOC sector committee continues to strengthen the country’s preparedness and response on COVID-19 and encourages people to practice good hygiene through washing of hands with soap. The country currently has no recorded case of covid-19.
–NDC PRESS

By EDDIE OSIFELO
THE government has commenced its repatriation plan to ship people out of Honiara to other provinces including the outer islands.
This happened after Governor General Sir David Vunagi declared the Public State of Emergency on Wednesday which will be in effect until Tuesday, March 31 following the threat of coronavirus (covid-19) on the country’s national security.
A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to perform actions or impose policies that it would normally not be permitted to undertake.
A government can declare such a state during a natural disaster, medical pandemic/epidemic, civil unrest, or armed conflict.
Under our Constitution, a State of Public Emergency is a declaration made by His Excellency, the Governor-General pursuant to Section 16(2) of the Constitution.
The declaration under the Constitution invokes the Emergency Powers Act [cap 11], which provides that the Governor-General may make regulations as appear to him to be reasonably justifiable for the purpose of dealing with the situation that exists in Solomon Islands.
The Regulations will empower the Prime Minister to make Orders that are necessary for the Government to perform certain actions during the Emergency Period.
The Regulations will be signed and gazette as soon as the necessary legal clearances has been made.
Ministry of Infrastructure Development permanent secretary, Steven Maesiola said the repatriation is in line with the seven days’ notice announced by the Governor General.
Maesiola called on all ship owners to contact him on 7870128 to discuss their schedules and arrangement the government will support them by way of subsidies during this exercise.
“I need information from them to start scheduling ships to their destinations in the provinces.
“All passengers will pay fares except students which the ministry will subsidise their fares,” he said.
Some of the companies that involved in the exercise are: Anolpha Enterprise Ltd, Isabel Development Company, Franjti Shipping Company Limited, Small Malaita Shipping Company Limited, Falema Shipping Company Ltd, Fair Trade Shipping Ltd, Gulatata’e Shipping Enterprise Ltd, Vatud Shipping Company Ltd, Vatate Investment and Development Company Ltd, Rennell & Bellona Shipping Ltd, Ulawa Ugi Development Company Ltd, Haura Shipping Company Ltd and Lauru Shipping Ltd.
Island Sun understand some ships have left to other provinces since Tuesday already.

-Health ministry sends samples overseas for covid-19 testing
-45 under quarantine

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services says it is awaiting results to samples from three suspects of the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19) which have been sent to Australia for tests.
Forty-five people, mostly nationals who had just returned from overseas, are also being quarantined.
The first sample was sent on Tuesday this week, with the second and third sent Thursday.
Two of the suspects are locals while the third is a foreigner.
Pauline McNeil, Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services (MHMS), said, “Three suspected samples have been taken to be tested but it may take up to five (5) days before we can receive any results.”
Mrs McNeil meanwhile encourages public that despite Solomon Islands not having any confirmed case of covid-19, each must continue to follow national advice on hygiene measures to protect themselves and those around them.
Minister of Health and Medical Services Dickson Mua confirmed to Island Sun on Thursday that the 45 being quarantined are being held in three facilities across the capital.
According to the minister, those quarantined arrived on different times and had to be held in isolation for 14 days.
“Those housed in the isolation centres were returning nationals who arrived on direct flights to Honiara mostly from Brisbane, Australia.
“It was reveals that GBR (Old RAMSI base) hosts the highest with 23 people, National Hosting Authority (Telekom Recreational Centre) 12 and the centre at Henderson has 10 people isolated there.
“These people exclude those who are home quarantined. They are being closely monitored by members of the SIG COVIC-19 taskforce,” said Mua.
Government had announced that as of Sunday (March 22) all returning passengers must be quarantined for 14 days at the quarantine centres before they are allowed into the community. The biggest quarantine centre, KGVI School, is currently being renovated and upgraded.

By EDDIE OSIFELO
GOVERNOR General Sir David Vunagi has reiterated measures stated by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to respond to the Wuhan coronavirus (covid-19).
Sir David highlighted these measures when he declared the State of Public Emergency in Honiara on Wednesday 25th March for citizens to follow orders of the government in the next seven days.
The following measures are:

1. Wash your hands regularly with soap or alcohol-based hand rub;
2. When you cough or sneeze, do it into your flexed elbow or use a tissue and dispose of the tissue immediately into a closed bin and wash your hands.
3. Do not cough/sneeze into your hands;
4. Clean your house, office or stores. Disinfect surfaces, tables or work desks;
5. Avoid crowded spaces and practice social distancing of 1.5m apart from the other person;
6. No handshakes;
7. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
   The Novel Coronavirus (covid-19) first emerged in China in 2019.
   The spread of the Virus continued into 2020 and on January 30, 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared covid-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (the PHEIC Declaration).
   The PHEIC Declaration triggered the Solomon Islands Government to introduce Regulations under the Immigration Act 2012 known as the Immigration (Amendment) Regulation 2020 which was intended to restrict entry of persons into Solomon Islands.
   Sir David said the spread of covid-19 was not contained and covid-19 continued to spread to other countries and this resulted in the increase of mortality rates caused by covid-19 worldwide.
   In light of the uncontrolled global spread outlined above, WHO on March 11, 2020 declared covid-19 “a pandemic”.
   Since that declaration, WHO has now confirmed 195 Countries have now contracted the infection including our close neighbours Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji. In addition to the above, New Caledonia, French Polynesia (Tahiti) and Guam have also recorded confirmed cases of covid-19.
   Currently, the statistics on covid-19 are 422,566 cases with 18,887 deaths worldwide.
   A Coronavirus Oversight Committee (the OSC) was established by Cabinet and was responsible for the monitoring and providing advice to the Solomon Islands Government.
   The OSC included amongst others, Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Health and Medical Services, Office of the Prime Minister & Cabinet and Ministry of Commerce, Immigration, Labour and Industries.