BY ALEX DADAMU
ANYONE wanting to enter any businesses or public buses or taxis will need to submit Vaccination Cards as prove and will need to show a photo ID such as driver’s licence, voter card, NPF card or passport for verification purposes.
This was according to Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his special nationwide address today.
Prime Minister Sogavare said that businesses may open for business subject to the following conditions:
“First limit the number of customers permitted in each shop at a point in time using one customer for four square metres of space.
“Each shop owners must measure the area for each customer and put on the door, the number of customers allowed entering each time.
“Only customers who are fully vaccinated and wearing face marks are allowed to enter the shop
“Shop owners, please ensure you verify the customer is fully vaccinated before entering.
“All customers take a vaccination card with you as proof of vaccination.
“Each shop must provide hand sanitizers at the entrance and exit of each shop.
“Only shops whose owners and workers have been fully vaccinated are allowed to open.
“Any shop conducting businesses where the owners or workers are not fully vaccinated will be closed.
“All customers must wear face mask at all the time.
PM Sogavare further listed the prescribed maximum passenger limit on public transport, it is as follows:
“For taxis, three passengers including the driver,
“For public buses-2 passengers per row.
“Taxi drivers, bus drivers and conductors must be fully vaccinated and must always wear mask.
“Traffic police will check for vaccination cards in addition to driving licence.
“All passengers must be fully vaccinated and must wear masks at all times.
“Passengers must show the vaccination cards before they can board a bus.
“No large public gatherings maximum of five people allowed at a public place.
“All casinos, pubs, restaurants and nightclubs are closed.
“Hotels who have guests may serve their customers but are not open to the public.
Prime Minister Sogavare further added that Hotspots will be continually reviewed and if necessary, certain hotspots will undergo lockdown to limit the spread of the virus and to allow the health team to complete their contact tracing and testing of affected people.
He said the Lordhowe settlement is currently under a localised lockdown and a no go zone for the public.
“Other hotspots will undergo lockdown as the justification arises. All passengers or services by air and sea for Honiara to provinces is suspended to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 to provinces.
“Cargo vessels are also suspended and will be reviewed early next week.
“People from provinces I advise to delay their travel to Honiara at this point in time,” Sogavare advised.
In the meantime he said we are now starting to see some seriously sick people from COVID-19 and so far, the seriously sick are those who are not vaccinated.
PM Sogavare reiterates the importance of being fully vaccinated.
“The vaccines will protect you, even if you catch the virus, it will protect you from serious diseases.”
