Fijian public servants have been told they will be sacked if they do not get fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
The Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, has announced tough new rules to encourage people to get vaccinated.
In a speech last night he reiterated the government's view that locking down the country wouldn't work but says people are not doing enough to help counter the virus, especially ensuring they get vaccinated.
To date, 335,000 Fijians have had at least one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and the prime minister wants the country to achieve a target of 586,000.
Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama. Photo: Facebook/Fiji govt
To reach this he is putting pressure on employers and workers.
From next Monday any public servants who have not received at least one dose of the vaccine have to go on leave.
"They cannot come back to work until they receive at least the first dose of the vaccine and that must be done by the 15th of August 2021, after which they may return to work as long as they go on to be fully vaccinated by the 1st of November. If they do not adhere to these guidelines they will be dismissed from work," Mr Bainimarama said.
And he said private sector employers must ensure all of their staff have at least one dose of the vaccine by August 1st.
Failure to do so could result in that business being shut down.
Meanwhile, the prime minister responded to widespread calls to approve a lockdown in order to stop the spread of the virus.
"A period of twenty-eight days of a hard lockdown, as some are calling for, cannot be strictly enforced everywhere in Fiji.
"Our experts tell us it would not kill off the virus. But it would kill jobs and it could kill our country's future."
To date, 335,000 Fijians have had at least one dose of the Astrazeneca vaccine, and the prime minister has set a target of 586,651.
Mr Baimrama says they expect to have 80 percent of that group fully vaccinated, with two doses, by November 1st.