BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
ALL citizens not working who are living in Honiara are encouraged to return or relocate to their provinces immediately as Honiara is the most vulnerable location to Coronavirus (COVID-19) if it gets here.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his national address with regards to COVID-19 yesterday evening said it is important to reduce the population in Honiara during this time and in anticipation of a potential lockdown of the city, should an outbreak occur.
According to Sogavare as of Thursday 20th March, the government will be doing additional measures implemented to protect Solomon Islands from coronavirus.
He said the current measures to protect the entry of the virus will continue, however the time has come for the country to step up response even further to protect the people and country.
“We must sharpen our response as if the coronavirus is already here. To achieve this we need to stand together to fight the coronavirus. We need a bipartisan approach at the political level, our private sector, churches, civil society and communities must be part of our strategy to fight coronavirus,” said Sogavare.
Sogavare during his address said Solomon Islands government aims to achieve three goals.
“First to protect all Solomon Islanders and all people living in Solomon Islands, second to keep the economic engine of the country going, three, to position the country to emerge from this challenge, stronger in uniting.
“In relation to the first goal, we stepped up our response to achieve two basic objectives. First, to prevent the introduction of the coronavirus into the country and second, to prepare the country to respond effectively and efficiently, and in a coordinated manner if the COVID-19 enters the country,” said Sogavare.
