Papua New Guineans have been urged to get used to the “new normal”.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, people all over the world are forced to change the way they live. And PNG is no different.
The coronavirus disease has devastated most parts of the world, forcing changes to be made to the way a country is run, the way businesses operate or generally how we socialise.
In this afternoon’s COVID-19 update, the Deputy State of Emergency Controller, Dr Paison Dakulala, said provinces are stepping up in terms of rapid response team preparations, isolation and quarantine facilities, risk communication and social distancing.
“And all the orders that have been given by the state of emergency directions and executing them down at ground level in the provinces and in the community,” said Dr Dakulala. “So we appreciate and commend and encourage everyone to continue to be vigilant in the way we deal with what this COVID-19 pandemic has brought to our shores. So yes, the key message that continues to be given is that we are now in the new normal.”
Dr Dakulala says though PNG has only one local case, residents must continue to be mindful of their behaviour and hygiene as the global situation remains challenging.
“Almost 1.6 million people have been infected and just about half of that population, many of them are dying, in the global scene but also closer to us in the region there’s been a lot of challenges that these situations are showing.”
(Dr Paison Dakulala – Deputy SOE Controller)