Isolation and closed borders: Here’s how ten Pacific Island nations are COVID-19-free, and the costs that come with it

Ruth Nafow( R) cooks corn to sell at a regional farmer’s sell on December 06, 2019 in Tanna, Vanuatu. Asked about climate change, she said,’ It’s a really big concern. This will affect our crops in one way or another .’

Mario Tama/ Getty

Globally, there are now more than 31,200, 000 COVID-1 9 cases, but there’s no COVID-1 9 in Samoa, Tonga, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Vanuatu, Micronesia, and the Solomon Islands. The reasonablenes for this is these small island societies promptly closed their borders early this year, after realizing their health systems were under-equipped to deal with an eruption, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Australia Pacific Security College public health epidemiologist told the Herald the small island nations’ decision to close their borders was the right one. But “theres been” handicaps to the closed frontiers. A number of these nations rely on tourism and it’s no longer happening. Even so, Vanuatu’s director of public health Dr. Len Tarivonda told the BBC despite the tourism loss many beings still didn’t crave borders to open. “If you talk to them the majority of members say keep the border closed for as long as possible. They say:’ We don’t crave the sickness — otherwise we’re fated, basically, ’” he said. Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more legends.

Along with paradisical heated seas and golden sand, 10 Pacific Island commonwealths are still totally COVID-1 9 free due to closed border and geographical isolation, but it has come at a cost.

Samoa, Tonga, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Vanuatu, Micronesia, and the Solomon Islands, are all COVID-1 9 free, according to the Sydney Morning Herald

These small island people — that are also dealing with the daily impacts of climate change — managed to keep the coronavirus out by swiftly closing their borders after conceding early on this year that their health systems were under-equipped to deal with an outbreak of the coronavirus.

Australia Pacific Security College public health epidemiologist told the Herald six months on the small island nation’s decision to close their borders was the right one.

“There is no doubt that the border endings have been critical in preventing COVID-1 9 taking hold in the Pacific, ” he said.

“The key now is balancing when and how opening hours, and ensuring that agencies working on the front line of perimeters, such as customs and immigration officials, are as well prepared as possible.”

Kids play at Eton Beach on November 30, 2019 in Efate, Vanuatu. Satellite data prove sea level has risen about 6mm per year around Vanuatu since 1993, a charge virtually twice the world-wide average, while temperatures has been rising since 1950. 25 percent of Vanuatu’s 276,000 citizens lost their homes in 2015 when Cyclone Pam, different categories 5 rain, destroyed the South Pacific archipelago of 83 islands while wiping out two-thirds of its GDP. Scientists have forecast that the strength of South Pacific cyclones will increase because of global warming. Vanuatu’s government is considering suing the world’s major pollution emitters in a progressive effort to confront global warming challenges and curb world-wide emissions, to which it is a very small contributor.

( Photo by Mario Tama/ Getty Images)

There have been impediments to the closed frontiers — a number of these nations rely on tourism that’s no longer happening.

For instance, Palau, a nation of less than 20,000, relies on tourism for 40% of its GDP, according to the BBC.

The Marshall Islands are expected to lose more than 700 professions, according to the BBC, its biggest loss since 1997, with 258 of them being inn and diner jobs.

But some of the Pacific nations are wary of opening up too soon after French Polynesia opened in July to help its ailing tourism sector, which resulted in swift outbreaks of COVID-1 9, according to The Guardian.

Vanuatu’s director of public health Dr. Len Tarivonda told the BBC countless people didn’t miss metes to reopen despite the drawbacks.

“If you talk to them the majority say keep the border closed for as long as possible. They say: ‘We don’t want the sickness- otherwise we’re fated, basically, ‘” he said.

Tarivonda said Vanuatu at least wouldn’t rush to reopen after watching occurrences rise in Papua New Guinea, many of those traced back to the US military vicinity on small island developing, according to The Guardian.

“If the virus comes, it is more likely to be like wildfire- and what we are seeing in Papua New Guinea is a reflection of why we are worried, ” he said.

“Given our[ health care] limiteds, the context we have in the Pacific, the best bet is to keep the virus out for as long as possible.”

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