THIS remote island remained safe from Covid-19 for 2 years, but is now affected

Covid-19 has impacted almost all parts of the world since its beginning. While many countries failed to stop the virus from entering borders, this remote island escaped the disease for about two years.

The Pacific archipelago of Kiribati has reopened its borders this month. This allowed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to charter a plane to bring home 54 citizens of the island. Most of these returnees are missionaries who left Kiribati prior to border closures with an aim to spread the faith abroad.

To stop the virus from entering borders, officials started testing each returning passenger thrice in nearby Fiji. Vaccination was mandatory and all arrivals were put in quarantine with additional testing when they reached home.

Despite rigorous attempts to avoid the virus’ entry, the island is now under its grip. More than half of the passengers who came home via the charter plane have tested Covid-19 positive. The virus has now permeated across the community and the government has announced a state of disaster.

The cases are rising at an alarming rate as the first 36 positive cases jumped to 181 cases on Friday.

The remote island had successfully avoided the virus due to its strict border closures until the Omicron variant disrupted all preparations.

Vaccine expert at the University of Auckland in New Zealand - Helen Petousis-Harris says, “Generally speaking, it's inevitable. It will get to every corner of the world. It's a matter of buying enough time to prepare and getting as many people vaccinated as possible.”

Due to its remote location, only 33 per cent of Kiribati’s people have received both doses of the vaccine and 59 per cent have received the first dose. The region does not have advanced health services just like other Pacific nations.

Explaining the poor health infrastructure of Kiribati, Dr. Api Talemaitoga (who chairs a network of Indigenous Pacific Island doctors in New Zealand) said that the remote island had only a few intensive care beds. Earlier, it had to send its sickest patients to Fiji or New Zealand for getting treatment.

To combat the virus, Kiribati has opened many quarantine sites now. The island has also announced curfew and imposed strict lockdowns.

The Covid-19 pandemic has aggravated problems for the missionaries working for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church, which has over 53,000 missionaries working to convert people, has reworked its plans to deal with the pandemic. It has recalled more than 26,000 missionaries who were serving overseas until June 2020.

In April 2021, the church encouraged all missionaries to get vaccinated and required it of those serving outside their home countries.

Speaking about the cooperation between the local health authorities and the returning missionaries, Church spokesperson Sam Penrod said, “With Kiribati's borders being closed since the onset of the pandemic, many of these individuals have continued as missionaries well beyond their 18 to 24 months of anticipated service, with some serving as long as 44 months”.

Kiribati had earlier reported just two Covid-19 positive cases. They were crew members on an incoming cargo ship which was later restricted from entering the dock.

While the virus has permeated across the island, traditional aspects of island life remain almost same. As declared on Thursday, Kiribati government has allowed fishing with some restrictions. “Only four people will be allowed to be on a boat or part of a group fishing near shore”.