Virgin Australia airline has temporarily suspended all international services and further cuts to their domestic network until 14 June 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Virgin Australia [2]’s last flight out of Tonga is on Tuesday 24 March, according to its booking website.

“Our priority is on bringing Australians home, and returning visitors back to their point of origin safely, and as quickly as possible”, stated the airline.

Meanwhile, Air New Zealand also announced cutting back on flights to the Pacific including Tonga between April and June.

A number of flights to and from Tonga have been cancelled [3] starting from 31 March. In April flights between Auckland and Tonga will be reduced to Mondays and Fridays.

The airline said customers impacted by this schedule or aircraft changes will be contacted directly by Air New Zealand in the coming days, via the contact information provided in their booking, or the travel agent they booked through.

Flu Vaccine

New Zealand's government is urging kiwis to get their flu vaccines to help manage hospital demand from the COVID-19 outbreak. It has 400,000 more vaccines available this year, compared to last year, making it their biggest flu vaccine campaign ever.

The announcement was made today, 18 March by Health Minister David Clark and Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter.

“Our strong advice is to get your flu vaccine early this year to protect yourself, your family and your colleagues against the spread of the flu. Getting your vaccine will reduce your chances of catching the flu, and improve our ability to manage higher demand at hospitals from COVID-19,” he said.

“While the flu vaccine will not protect you against COVID-19 it will help to ‘flatten the curve’ of demand on our hospitals this winter.”

Free flu vaccines are available from GP clinics and selected pharmacies for New Zealanders who are most at risk.

They include people aged 65 and over; people who are pregnant; people with certain chronic conditions; and young children with a history of severe respiratory illness. Healthcare workers will receive a free vaccine from their employer.

Tonga's travel advisory 

Tonga’s latest travel advisory requires travellers originating from or transiting through:

• United States,
• Australia,
• United Kingdom,
• Italy,
• China,
• Iran,
• Daegu Province and Cheongdo County (Republic of Korea),

among others, are required to have spent at least 14-days self­ quarantine outside of China and the listed countries, and provinces. This does not include New Zealand.

International travelers originating from or transiting through the listed countries, provinces and counties are also required to obtain a medical clearance three (3) days prior to arrival (confirming travelers are free of symptoms of acute respiratory illness) prior to departure from the last port of entry into Tonga. 

This restriction does not apply to Tongan citizens, permanent residents or their immediate (nuclear) family members, and international travelers who have not been in these countries in the 14-days prior to arrival in Tonga.

However, they must provide a medical clearance within three (3) days prior to arriving in Tonga, and report and register with the Ministry of Health Border Control Team for 14 days quarantine in Tongatapu.