Businesses are being warned they must not rip customers off after the Prime Minister announced yesterday the kingdom could face a nightmare scenario if the Delta virus spread.
The kingdom has recorded its first Covid-19 case after one of 215 people who arrived in Tonga on a repatriation flight from Christchurch on Wednesday tested positive.
Prime Minister Tu’i’onetoa asked the people to prepare themselves for the weekend, follow curfews and practice social distancing.
In a livestreamed press conference on Friday Tu’i’onetoa said the lockdown won’t happen this weekend because he was advised that the virus will take more than three days to develop in someone who caught it before they become contagious.
“We should use this time to get ready in case more people are confirmed they have the virus.”
After the positive case was confirmed, Vaiola hospital was swamped by people who rushed to get vaccinated.
Warning
The Consumer Affairs has warned this morning that they were out in the community and visiting businesses to make sure they operate according to the law.
The authority has asked customers to ask for receipts and keep records of their shoppings and purchases.
People are being urged to report any similar conduct or if they have noticed price increases on goods during this time? Feel ripped off? Contact Consumer Affairs by following this link https://www.facebook.com/tongaconsumeraffairs.
The patient fully vaccinated
As Kaniva News reported yesterday, the patient had been isolating at a quarantine hotel.
New Zealand health officials said the traveler to Tonga was fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and had returned a negative test before leaving for Tonga.
The officials said they would be working with their Tongan counterparts to confirm the case and provide more details in the coming days.
As of October 25, around 47 per cent had received vaccinations in Tonga – 31 per cent of these were fully vaccinated, according to Our World In Data.
