Tonga's Prime Minister's Office has called a media conference for 4:00pm today, as the capital is widely anticipating a National COVID-19 lockdown to be announced, starting tonight.

Domestic air services to Vava'u Group were cancelled today, and the last flight from Tongatapu to Ha'apai Group will be at 3:30pm, according to Lulutai Airlines.

On Saturday the Governor of Vava'u, Lord Fakatulolo, announced that the borders of the Vava'u Group would be closed to all aircraft and ferries, starting today Monday.  “We just want to prevent COVID,” said his secretary today.

By lunchtime today diplomatic missions started postponing this week's scheduled meetings, due to “the National Lockdown of COVID-19”

But the government is not expected to announce the details of the national lockdown until 4:00pm.

On Friday the Prime Minister Hon. Dr Pohiva Tu'i'onenoa urged people to use the weekend to prepare for a potential lock down this week, after Tonga’s first positive COVID-19 case was confirmed last week. He urged people to get ready in case more people are confirmed to have the virus.

Traffic is busy in Nuku'alofa as people run last minute errands today ahead of the looming lockdown.

The Bank South Pacific Tonga and the ANZ-Tonga bank in Nuku'alofa is requiring all customers today to present ID cards, vaccination certificates and to wear masks.

So far today, no further COVID positive cases have been announced in Tonga.