CORONAVIRUS UPDATE by His Excellency President Lionel Aingimea
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
by
His Excellency President Lionel
Aingimea
Friday, 14 May 2021
His Excellency President
Lionel Aingimea warns the damaging effect that misinformation can
cause, stating that we are battling the COVID pandemic and an
infodemic - which spreads information as well as
misinformation.
Infodemic is described as an
overabundance of information - good or bad - that makes it
difficult for people to make decisions for their health; and
undermines the emergency responses and extends the pandemic.
The warning is in line with the
advice of the World Health Organisation Director General Dr
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in 2020, that "we're not just fighting
a pandemic; we're fighting an infodemic."
The President encourages the public
to listen to reliable sources of information regarding the
coronavirus and the vaccine, rather than social media discussions,
which tend to be sources of misinformation and disinformation.
"That (social media and infodemic)
source of information can be completely misleading. Go to the
hospital, talk to the people who are vaccinating people."
The President warns that
misinformation can cause harm to people's lives, their health, and
community trust.
On Friday 7 May, 7,392 people
received their first shot, and this 'catch-up' week saw up to 40
last minute vaccinations.
President Aingimea thanks the
health team and everyone that has taken the vaccine, for a very
successful and positive result of the 'first shot campaign'.
President Aingimea calls for
prayers for the people of the Pacific, especially for Fiji and
Papua New Guinea who are experiencing an upsurge in coronavirus
cases and deaths.
Fiji recorded another death today;
while PNG now has over 130 deaths, and the number of confirmed
cases exceeds Nauru's population.
Nauru's Embassy in Fiji has
confirmed that Nauruans in Fiji are safe, and the students are
well.
Fiji will go into lockdown from
11pm tonight to 4am on Wednesday 19 May.
Our thoughts and prayers are with
the people of the Pacific that are battling the virus.