Two recent reports have highlighted the damaging interactions between obesity, COVID-19, and development. This blog examines the often worrying implications for countries in Asia and the Pacific.

Only workers under the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme who were unable to return home from New Zealand (NZ) after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak will have their mandatory hotel quarantine costs covered by the Government.

Vanuatu will be getting over 40,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the COVAX Facility and China’s Sinopharm vaccine to vaccinate 20% of the population.

Minister of Health, Silas Bule has signed an importation certificate to import 12,000 doses of COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine from Italy.

Two former COVID-19 patients have donated chairs and pillows to the Vila Central Hospital (VCH) to show their appreciation to the VCH health professionals.

Over 20 senior health officials from Vanuatu’s six provinces are in Port Vila this week for a training on COVID-19 vaccinations and disseminating correct information to communities.

The two shareholders of the Ifira Ports Development Services (IPDS) — Government and Ifira Trustees Limited (ITL) — have committed a stimulus assistance of Vt100 million to the community of Ifira.

The Government will likely announce a second stimulus package policy due to its strong financial position last year, said the Prime Minister (PM), Bob Loughman.

Around 16 participants from across the tourism sector, retail businesses, Tanna area councils, schools, government departments and the shipping industry came together to join the COVID-19 Safe Business Operations (SBO) industry training-of-trainers, held on Tanna from 15th-16th April.

Vanuatu’s supply of COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine has been ordered from South Korea and the Government’s responsible authorities are liaising with the manufacturer to ensure the supply arrives within fourth weeks.

Despite the COVID-19 outbreak taking full force in March of 2020 when Vanuatu and many investor source destinations close their borders, foreign investment interest in Vanuatu continued to be registered by the Agency.

A recent report released by Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) found towards the end of 2020, businesses in Vanuatu were more likely to face challenges because of COVID-19, compared to the Pacific Islands overall.

As part of its Tourism Crisis Response and Recovery Program the Department of Tourism (DoT) has launched the Tourism Business Support Program (TBSP).

On Tuesday April 15, 11 women from a group of detainees at the Port Vila correctional facility handed over the last of the 6,000 calico bags sewn as part of the contract with World Vision to support COVID infection prevention and control in Vanuatu. The bags will be used to hold sanitation i…

Despite the new developments in Vanuatu’s COVID-19 situation, normal classes will continue on at the University of the South Pacific (USP)’s Emalus campus.

The UK-flagged tanker which came under the spotlight after one of its crew members was found dead and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 left Port Vila harbor at 6.30pm yesterday.

Prime Minister (PM) Bob Loughman has reminded everyone to continue to practise good hygiene at all times as it is critical in the fight against coronavirus.

The number of individuals who have been exposed to the deceased Filipino who tested positive has increased to over 20 as of yesterday.

No nation can act alone in the face of a pandemic.

The Maritime Authority in Solomon Islands has been informed of the deceased Filipino crew that contracted COVID-19 and died in Vanuatu.

All schools on Efate must operate as normal following safe and hygiene practices.

The two COVID-19 patients in isolation at the Vila Central Hospital (VCH) have been cleared but are still in the Isolation Ward.

A Church Pastors’ Workshop at Pastor Wendy Himford’s Bethany Gate at Number Two, Port Vila has unanimously taken a stance against the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine at the end of the morning session on Thursday.

Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia’s 2020 Pacific Islands Export Survey revealed that freight costs are one of the top three barriers to export faced by Pacific businesses, which was further exacerbated when COVID-19 drastically affected shipping routes and thus inflated costs.

Former Member of Parliament for Port Vila constituency, Tony Wright and former executive officer to the Prime Minister’s office, Jean Francois Metmetsan received their last dose of the German-developed BioNTech-Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Friday last week.

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will soon be entering the country for administration; however, many expatriates remain in the dark about how they will be receiving the vaccine.

The first batch of 10,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines allocated to Vanuatu from the COVAX Facility will arrive soon after the parliamentary session this month, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Director General of the Ministry of Health, Russell Tamata has confirmed the two COVID-19 patients are still in isolation at the Vila Central Hospital in Port Vila.

All returning citizens, residents and non-citizens will have to pay for their own quarantine costs from now onwards.

COVID-19 continues to affect the region

The two COVID-19 cases in isolation at the Vila Central Hospital (VCH) are to be retested to reconfirm their negative test results.

Vanuatu health authorities are currently working on a COVID-19 vaccination plan for Vanuatu.

He is known as Roro but his real name is Reuben Vira. It has been two years since Vira embarked in selling tissues in the city of Port Vila. He said every day he working to sell tissues on the street and in the offices.

The pandemic has greatly affected the economy leaving no livelihood unchanged, Automobile companies have seen changes in the market.

Last year during the state of emergency of the Covid 19 outbreak, public gatherings were banned, this included sports events and church services.

The new cases of COVID-19 in Port Vila and New Caledonia has prompted reactions from Vanuatu Council of Churches and Vaturisu Council of Chiefs of Efate.

Pacific Trade Invest Australia (PTI) has released its Pacific Business Monitor 2020,including nine country-focused reports, to understand the ongoing effects of COVID-19 on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the Blue Pacific.

Workplace health and safety is paramount during the COVID pandemic.

The two latest coronavirus cases detected during quarantine are still in isolation at the Vila Central Hospital (VCH). They will remain in isolation until they get a negative test result, said the Director General (DG) of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Spokesperson for all COVID-19 matters…

With international borders still closed due to COVID-19, Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia, the Pacific region’s lead trade and investment promotion agency, has committed to upskilling tourism operators and providing practical tools to support businesses. Last week PTI Australia held an i…

Vanuatu is now getting ready to roll out its coronavirus vaccine deployment plan, following approval by COVAX.

Vanuatu recorded the highest number of repatriated citizens and residents from overseas since border closures last year compare to other countries in the region

Since Daily Post published an article on COVID-19 vaccines for Vanuatu in the beginning of January, attempts to have further follow-up questions answered by the Ministry of Health have been futile.

It is a new year and living here in Vanuatu we have much to be thankful for. Vanuatu remains one of the small number of countries in the world that is COVID-19 free. And I congratulate the Government and people of Vanuatu for this success.

Google Trends has shown that in the last seven days, keyword Search for Vanuatu in the Netherland Province of Overijssel peaked with a 100% interest since Alexander De Groot’s story was published in Alegmeen Dagblad and Tubantia, two of the Dutch daily newspapers.

Congratulations to the Health Team and the team providing security at quarantine sites.

The Government will roll out the third phase of the repatriation exercise next week.

Growth in the Pacific subregion for 2020 has been further downgraded as the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic continues to squeeze the region’s economies.