The COVID-19 crisis is not going to end in October even if Fiji achieves its vaccination target, says National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad.
During a debate on the 2021-2022 Appropriation Bill in Parliament on Monday, he said people would continue to fall ill and lives would continue to be lost even if inoculation targets were met.
He also said it was likely more than 50,000 people would be infected by COVID-19.
“First point, the assumption that the crisis will end in October, the crisis is not going to end in October,” the NFP leader said.
“It will continue at least to the end of the year.
“Even if we reach vaccination targets, we will still have people sick and dying.
“The second point, it is likely that more than 50,000 people will be infected with this virus.
“In fact, some say that we may already have reached that number, why?
“Because the Ministry of Health is no longer testing people showing symptoms.
“People are told, ‘Just stay at home and look after yourselves’.
“What does this mean? It means that the Ministry of Health is too busy treating people to get information on the virus.
“They know that the virus is completely out of control.
“No one knows how many cases are out there.
“So, we are now in fact powerless against the virus.”
