The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) would like to remind all organizations, committees and individuals organizing mass gathering events to fill up the pre-event or pre-mass gathering assessment form for the National Health Emergency Operation Centre (NHEOC) to review, assess and make recommendation.
Forms can be obtained from the NHEOC office within the Ministry of Health’s Head Quarter Office in China Town (Or on MHMS FB Page).
Health assessments for such events and monitoring is crucial to ensure that events at least meet and adhere to some basic Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) measures including food hygiene standards for preservation of health of the public more especially at this time of the State of Public Emergency (SoPE) due to the current COVID-19 global pandemic.
This is also important to prepare the population of COVID-19 mitigation measures, so that once we do have cases in the communities, people are already practicing these measures.
Furthermore, as the country continues to receive quarantine and test incoming travellers, the possibility of COVID-19 spreading beyond these government managed facilities undetected still remains. If this happens during the time of mass gatherings, the impact will be far worse than if Covid measures for Mass gatherings were adhered to.
Thus, it is strongly advised that all the covid-19 measures set in place by the Ministry of Health for events must be fully adhered to.
That said, the Ministry would also like to inform that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is also an important COVID-19 mitigation measure. A person can be well protected against COVID-19, even in mass gathering settings.
So far, Solomon Islands have only reached around 4 percent coverage of the estimated target population of eligible persons to receive the vaccines.
This means in every 100 people attending a mass gathering only 4 people are protected against COVID-19 while the rest vulnerable to fall sick, hospitalized or die from COVID-19 infection.
Getting vaccinated will greatly prevent COVID-19 transmission in mass gathering settings.
All eligible persons above 18yrs should get vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect yourself, your community and limit the spread.
Ensure that the pre-event/mass gathering form is collected (downloaded from MHMS FB Page) filled and submitted to NHEOC for review and assessment prior to holding mass gathering events and that all persons 18 years and above come forward for vaccination when vaccines are available in their respective areas.
Let’s all take responsibility to protect our country against COVID-19.
For any further media enquiries please contact MHMS Media Officer Atenia Tahu on phone 24529/7478857 or email ATahu@moh.gov.sb
Source: Press Release, Ministry of Health and Medical Services