By Eleanor Gee

Tonga can cater for a maximum of only 246 repatriated passengers at one time, the Ministry of Health CEO Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola said today.

This means that repatriating over 3,000 people currently registered on the government's repatriation list will be a slow, drawn-out process.

At a Health press conference today he explained that the limited number of arrivals ensures there are enough health resources to look after repatriated passengers. This included supplies of personal protective equipment, CoViD-19 tests, and the three facilities equipped to provide accommodation for the 14-days quarantine.

Dr ‘Akau’ola said they can accommodate 38 people at Taliai Military Camp; 96 at the Makeke property and 111 at the Tanoa Hotel in Nuku'alofa.

Next Repatriation flight

The next repatriation flight from Christchurch, New Zealand, is planned to arrive in Tonga on 9 October, confirmed Dr ‘Akau’ola.

He said the number of passengers would be confirmed next week.

Meanwhile, new quarantine and CoViD-19 test fees will be introduced once approved by Cabinet and Gazetted.

New CoViD-19 test and quarantine fees

Non-Tongans who choose to come to Tonga on the repatriation flight will have to pay a fee of $3,000 pa'anga for the 14-days of quarantine.

“This excludes those who come to Tonga on humanitarian grounds,” said Dr ‘Akau’ola.

Those who wish to take a CoViD-19 test before leaving Tonga will need to pay a fee. A CoViD-19 test will cost $250 pa'anga for non-Tongans and $100 pa'anga for Tongans.

“Once this fee is approved by Cabinet (hopefully by this weekend) it will be Gazetted and we can offer this service next week,” said Dr ‘Akau’ola.

278 repatriated

To date, a total of 278 people have been repatriated to Tonga from Fiji, New Zealand, Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, including 1 person who disembarked from a fishing vessel.

The person on the fishing vessel was an observer from the Department of Fisheries who was supposed to be at sea for three months, but could not disembark because of the border closure.

“The person was stuck on the vessel for seven months and was finally able to disembark in Tonga,” said Dr ‘Akau’ola.

Chief Medical Officer (Public Health) Dr Reynold 'Ofanoa confirmed the fishing vessel had been sailing around the Cook Islands and Samoa area before they dropped off the person. He said the person has already completed two weeks of quarantine at Taliai Camp as well as a further one week in home quarantine and also tested negative to CoViD-19.

Extension of restrictions

The Declaration of Emergency Notifiable Condition and the Declaration of a Public Health Emergency have been extended to 12 March 2021.

“We have also extended the Flight Diversion Order from 12 September to 12 December 2020,” said Dr ‘Akau’ola. “Only authorized flights will be able to land in Tonga.”

Currently, a weekly cargo flight (without passengers) from New Zealand is authorized to land in Tonga every Tuesday and can carry passengers on the return journey.

Container and fuel/oil ships are also continuing to service Tonga.

Vaccine

Tonga and other Pacific Island countries have joined COVAX through the World Health Organization without having to contribute funds, said Dr 'Akau'ola.

COVAX is co-led by Gavi [2], the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the World Health Organization. To join COVAX, high and middle-income economies are to contribute funds for vaccine research and to ensure fair and equitable access to CoViD-19 vaccines worldwide.

COVAX plans to provide CoViD-19 vaccines to roughly 20% of a country's total population. This includes frontliners and health staff involved in CoViD-19 preparedness and response activities, the elderly, and other high-risk people.

New Zealand and Australia are also supporting Tonga and other Pacific Island countries to access a CoViD-19 vaccine when it becomes available.

The Asian Development Bank has proposed to provide funds to Tonga to access a CoVid-19 vaccine. “The Tongan Government has already accepted their proposal,” said Dr ‘Akau’ola.

He said a plan is being put together on how to spend the ADB funds before it is submitted to the ADB board for consideration.