Quarantined incoming passengers cooperative: Emergency responders 

National Emergency Response Team (NERT) and Health Officials has acknowledged adherence and understanding of incoming passengers who are currently undergoing the compulsory 14-days quarantine at the Institutional Quarantine Sites in efforts to contain any possible novel coronavirus (COVID-19) reaching our shores.

“The response has been excellent seeing in-bound passengers cooperate and adhere to strict standard procedures enforced by authorities.

“No resistance has been recorded as they follow the response team advices’ and stay isolated in their rooms,” an emergency response member said.

“They just have to be patient and think of the wider community public health,” he added.

Four centres; Guadalcanal Beach Resort, Vimo Apartment, Pacific Casino and the Solomon Islands Sports Leadership Institute Center at Panatina has been established last week purposely to isolate the passengers (both Solomon Islands passport holders and foreigners) upon arrival last week at the Henderson tarmac.

Quarantining of persons does not mean that they are sick or are infected with COVID-19 but it is because these persons or travellers have embark or transit through virus-hit countries. 

Total number of quarantined persons at the centres stands at 65 which was managed by the National Disaster Operations Committee for Camp Management based at the National Disaster Management Office. 

Families, relatives and friends are asked to comply and respect the quarantine rules at the sites and should expect no pick up of relative or friends from the arrival exits. 

Health Officials continues to remind the general public to practice social distancing (2 metres apart) and good hygiene behaviours such as hand washing, cover mouth when coughing or sneezing.

In the meantime, international commercial flights into the country has been banned until such emergency need arise which the COVID-19 Oversight Committee will deal with.