Fiji should drop the current three-day quarantine period for all international visitors if they are fully vaccinated, says Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Dr Ram Raju.
Dr Raju says the Australian government recently declared there will be no quarantine for fully vaccinated visitors moving in and out of Australia following the recent opening of their international borders.
“Fiji should adopt a similar policy as the current three-day quarantine period can be considered a farce or a joke because hardly anyone has complied. There is a lack of control,” he claimed.
Dr Raju said that under the current quarantine period, visitors check-in at a hotel of their choice and then are free to move around.
“They go back only to sleep, wake up the next morning for breakfast, which in most instances is free of charge, and then allowed to travel anywhere they wish to.
“I am aware of many people wanting to travel but are reluctant to do so with these requirements, and they would rather wait for a review of the three-day quarantine in designated hotels.”
Dr Raju said the three-day mandatory hotel accommodation enables the hotels and resorts to hike the room rates exorbitantly.
“Many obviously had no choice but to comply reluctantly, which included thousands of former Fiji residents eager to return home.”
Dr Raju said the three-day quarantine period ought to be reviewed or waived completely at the earliest.
In response to Dr Raju’s statement, Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr James Fong said Fiji did not have a mandatory three-day quarantine period.
“We have a risk reduction protocol and the hotel stay is to only support the in-country testing, which is important for us because we need to confirm whether it is a true negative test for any incoming traveller.”
He said there was no restriction at all during the three days for any incoming traveller while they were at their designated hotel.
“It is just that if I know where or at which hotel the traveller is and upon receiving their results, then I am more likely to catch someone who is positive and put them under isolation.
“I have repeatedly said it on so many forums and Dr Raju keeps on repeating it with mistaken perception,” Dr Fong said.
