The Vanuatu Outbreak Alert System (VOAS) informs the public about outbreaks or increases of communicable diseases.
VOAS has four alert levels:
Each level describes the measures that members of the public need to take based on the risk level. Levels are set by the Ministry of Health. The public must follow the appropriate measures indicated.
VOAS was developed in 2021 to support COVID-19 response. Although the current focus is COVID-19, the system has been designed to extend to other communicable diseases if needed. These may include leptospirosis, dengue and cholera. The Ministry of Health will advise the public on which diseases are covered by VOAS.
The alert levels indicate where and what measures should be used to contain, prevent and manage COVID-19 in Vanuatu. These include key measures, additional individual measures and public health restrictions.
The following measures should be used at all alert levels.
Regularly wash your hands with soap and water. Wash your hands with soap and water or, if your hands are not visibly dirty, use an alcohol-based hand rub. This will remove the virus if it is on your hands.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Hands touch many surfaces which can be contaminated with the virus. If you touch your eyes, nose or mouth with your unclean hands, you can transfer the virus from the surface to yourself.
Cover your mouth and sneeze with a tissue or your elbow. Throw away the used tissue immediately and wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub. This way you protect others from any virus released through coughs and sneezes.
Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces. Disinfection practices are important to reduce the potential for COVID-19 virus (and other viruses) contamination in settings such as the home, office, schools, gyms, publicly accessible buildings, churches, markets, transportation and business settings or restaurants. Frequently touched surfaces include door and window handles, kitchen and food preparation areas, counter tops, bathroom surfaces, toilets and taps, touchscreen personal devices, personal computer keyboards, and work surfaces.
Stay home when sick to avoid spreading illness. Unless it is an emergency or if you require medical care, you should stay home if you feel sick to reduce your risk of spreading illness.
Get vaccinated when available. Vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting people against harmful disease before they come into contact with them.
If you have fever, cough AND difficulty breathing, seek medical care.Phone ahead and inform the health centre when you will visit. Always follow the guidance of your health care professional or national health advisories.
Get tested if you are sick . In most cases, COVID-19 causes mild symptoms including a runny nose, sore throat, cough and fever. It can be more severe for some people and can lead to pneumonia or breathing difficulties. These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as colds and flu.
When instructed, “check-in” to venues. If a case of COVID-19 is identified in Vanuatu, we will rapidly try to find everyone who they have been in close contact with (“close contacts”), as well as those that were in the same venue or event at the same time but who is at lower risk than a close contact (“casual contact”). To enable this, everyone will need to check-in to certain venues by entering their contact details in a registration form on entry. Eligible venues will have signage informing you that you need to register on entry. Once implemented, “Checking-in” to venues will be required at all levels
Wear a mask.A face covering helps stop droplets spreading when someone speaks, laughs, coughs or sneezes. This includes someone who has COVID-19 but feels well or has no obvious symptoms. Face coverings are particularly useful when physical distancing is not possible. When using fabric facemasks, ensure they meet the minimum technical standards (3 layers) as recommended by the Ministry of Health.
Physically distance. Physical (sometimes referred to as social distancing) is a term used to describe a public health measure to stop or slow down the spread of infectious diseases, like COVID-19 by limiting person-to-person contact. It means keeping a distance of at least 1 metre from other people, avoiding spending time in crowded places and avoiding close or physical contact.
Stay home except for essential personal movements. When instructed, everyone should stay home except for essential personal movements such as to purchase food or for essential work.
Handwashing is an effective tool to prevent COVID-19, other diseases. A hand hygiene order issued under the State of Emergency requires that all business houses are required to have handwashing facilities or handwashing stations within their premises.
When requested, maintain records of people that enter a venue. If a case of COVID-19 is identified in Vanuatu, we will rapidly try to find everyone who they have been in close contact with (“close contacts”), as well as those that were in the same venue or event at the same time but who is at lower risk than a close contact (“casual contacts”). To enable this, certain businesses, workplaces and venues are required to keep a registry of everyone who enters their venue and to provide this information to the Ministry of Health.
Prepare and implement a Workplace Health and Safety plan (see Safe Business Operations). All workplaces and businesses should prepare a Workplace Health and Safety plan.
Closure of non-essential services. Closure of non-essential services may be required to keep workers safe, limit interaction with customers and help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Non-essential services include accommodation providers without guests, food and beverage providers, tour operator providers, attraction and activity providers, retail and vendor outlets, manufacturing and other service providers.
Closure of educational facilities. Closure of educational facilities may be required to keep staff and students, limit interaction between students, prevent transmission to family members and help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
Closure of non-essential Government offices. Closure of non-essential Government offices may be required to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
Reduced operation of essential services and businesses. The Ministry of Health recommends that essential services and businesses include air traffic control, firefighting services, health services and pharmacies, lighthouse or other navigational safety devices, meteorological services, rescue services (land, sea and air), postal and telecommunication services, water and sewerage, transportation, public utilities, accommodation providers with guests, supermarkets, banks, fruit and vegetable markets, general stores and petrol stations.
Safe and effective vaccines will be an essential part of how we protect people from COVID-19 in Vanuatu. Until further notice, people who have been vaccinated are still required to follow the guidance and requirements of VOAS.
The Ministry of Health will indicate if we need to move to the next level. This will be based on:
The Ministry of Health will advise when we can move down an alert level.
VOAS has been designed to complement the WHO Transmission Scenarios for COVID-19, but to provide more detailed and locally-relevant information on what people need to do in Vanuatu. Until now, we have been using the Scenarios to describe the situation in Vanuatu. For example, after the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Vanuatu we moved to Scenario 2A. VOAS for COVID-19 is aligned with the Scenarios; Scenario 1 corresponds to Level 0: Low, Scenario 2a corresponds to Level 1: Medium, and so on. The Scenarios are noted in the information sheets for the VOAS for COVID-19 to help everyone recognise how the two are linked.
VOAS has been developed to complement the existing Cyclone Colour Alerts, developed and implemented by the National Disaster Management Office. The Cyclone Colour Alerts uses three colours (blue, yellow and red) to indicate level of risk and steps people need to take to be prepared. People across Vanuatu know, and use, this system and clearly understand that Cyclone Colour Alerts increase and decrease in severity. Recognising the importance of this system in Vanuatu, the Ministry of Health consulted with the National Disaster Management Office on how to develop and implement VOAS.
Where can I get more information?