Vanuatu is now operating the COVID-19 emergency under the amended Public Health Act (CAP 234), after almost two years of powering responses under the Disaster Risk Management Act No.23 of 2019 on the 1^st of February 2022.

Minister of Health, Silas Bule, declared a Public Health Emergency for the whole of Vanuatu on the 1^st of February 2022 under the Public Health. This means that the original State of Emergency (SOE) is no longer valid. The public health emergency declaration is effective until July 31, 2022.

The Minister of Health takes his power from the Public Health Act, which also subjects to decisions and directives measures. In light of this, the health minister has the power to make vaccination mandatory, when necessary, along with the advice from the health emergency advisory committee.

The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) had been coordinating preparedness and responses that resulted in no community transition and seven imported cases recorded were managed in quarantine. This includes the extension of SOE which was extended several times since the initial declaration in March 2020.

The Public Health Emergency will contribute to the preparedness and planning of the prevention of the covid-19 by taking action through appropriate measures put in place. Responsibility for the preparedness of the nation’s communities lies not only with the government departments but engagement with active mobilized businesses and community residents is highly considered at all levels.

The Minister of Health has the power to make vaccines mandatory under the Public Health Act requiring mandatory COVID-19 vaccination to safeguard public health. The administration of the booster shots has begun, targeting frontline workers working at the forefront in the fight against the coronavirus.

These health workers, elderly people 55 years and over, as well as those with underlying conditions. The booster shots are given as a precautionary measure especially to frontline workers in making sure that they are safe during repatriation flights and to deal with new variants entering the country.

Vanuatu Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (VFIPA) encourages businesses and everyone to get vaccinated for the safety of all citizens and to think carefully and decide in the best interest of the country.