Misinformation and falsehoods promoted on social and mainstream media by even some from the medical community a serious concern - Dr Fong

78% of COVID-19 deaths during this outbreak occurred at home, or on the way to the hospital, or within 2 days of admission to the hospital - giving no or little opportunity for the Ministry of Health clinical teams to provide potentially life-saving treatment.

Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor James Fong says an internal audit of deaths during this COVID-19 crisis indicates that much of the adverse health seeking behaviour that predated this crisis has been potentiated by the misinformation and falsehoods promoted on social and mainstream media.

Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor James Fong. [image: Fijian Govt.]

He says It is even more unfortunate that people from the medical community have promoted this deadly misinformation, doing so is an utter violation of the duty of care they owe the people of Fiji.

Doctor Fong says when they see instances of misinformation, they gather the facts and respond as quickly as possible but the unfortunate reality about inflammatory misinformation is that it can spread far faster than the truth.

He says to help them combat falsehoods and save lives, they are seeking communal support to help to identify persons vulnerable to severe COVID and pre-emptively engage them to have a plan that allows early identification of danger symptoms and signs so they can access clinical care.

Doctor Fong says they know that many of the people that died had been trying to treat themselves at home with herbal medicines and steam baths.

He says whilst these treatments might be helping to alleviate some of their symptoms, they should not be a replacement for treatment at the hospital.

Doctor Fong says COVID-19 is not like the common cold, it is a virus that our bodies have no immunity to protect ourselves against - unless you are vaccinated.

For people who have severe COVID-19, for the majority, the key to their recovery will be placing them on oxygen therapy and a ventilator, as well as giving them specific medications.

Doctor Fong says for many of the individuals who died, there was a real chance that they may have been able to save them if only the health teams were able to see them earlier.

If you have severe flu-like symptoms, like difficulty breathing or chest pain, you need to call 165.

If someone in your home has severe flu-like symptoms, you need to call 165.

Do not wait. Those symptoms may not go away on their own, and by the time you call, it could be too late.

Doctor Fong also says due to a combination of steady vaccine administration and the adoption of COVID-safe measures, in the Central Division, they are happy to report we are seeing a reduction in the number of individuals being treated in hospitals and dying.

He says unfortunately, the situation in the Western Division is getting worse, as they are seeing an intensifying outbreak.

Doctor Fong says the containment area protocol in the Central Division has prevented a concurrent rise in hospitalizations and deaths in both divisions which would have complicated the medical response.