Petaya Nome is one of the few people on the remote Pacific island of Tuvalu who must wear personal protective equipment (PPE).
While face masks, visors and dresses have become a common sight in most countries during the pandemic years, in Tuvalu – one of the few countries that has never had a Covid case – they are a rarity, worn mostly by airport officials, such as Nome, whose job is to unload cargo.
Nom knows that if Covid arrives in his small country, about 4,000 km from Australia with a population of about 12,000, it will probably be through one of the planes carrying medical supplies and food or repatriating Tuvaluans stranded abroad.
“I love my job, but now with Covid I feel insecure and worried about my family at home. And I’m very careful when handling loads, I always make sure I follow the right procedures when removing the PPE, “says Nome.
“As soon as the plane leaves, we are all tested at the airport and after the result is negative, I feel so relieved and just hurry to return home to continue my duties at home and enjoy the rest of the day.
Petaia Nome with cargo carrier at Sir Toaripi Lauti International Airport, Tuvalu. Photo: Puaseiese Adrienne Pedro / The Guardian
According to the World Health Organization, countries without Covid are limited to North Korea and Turkmenistan – whose claims of being free from Covid are questionable – and three Pacific island nations: Tuvalu, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia, as well as several other island territories. .
Funafuti Airport – the capital and main atoll of Tuvalu – stretches along the island, which is very narrow, at some points only a few meters. When planes do not take off or land, the runway is used as a football field or for dry laundry. Sometimes people even sleep on it when the weather is especially hot.
But since the pandemic began, part of the runway has been completely off limits. The hangar, about 300 meters from the airport, has become a quarantine center and is guarded by police.
Two Tuvaluan fishermen land on the island of Tepuka, Tuvalu. Photo: Ashley Cooper / Corbis / Getty Images
“Whenever I have the task of quarantining areas of airports, I always make sure that I and my other colleagues follow standard operating procedures,” said police officer Hililogo Tepou.
She believes there is always a chance the virus will arrive by plane and cargo ship, but not if the front-line fighters take precautions seriously.
“Meanwhile, in addition to my work responsibilities, I travel around the island, drink and party with friends and just do what I love to do. “I believe that Tuvalu is very lucky to be free of the virus, and we should always be grateful for that,” she said.
“I made the right decision to go home”
Tuvalu closed its borders in early 2020 and has not reopened them since. This gave the nation time to prepare, with about 90% of its adult population fully vaccinated and 85% of 12-17 year olds receiving their first dose.
Two of Tuvalu’s outer islands have closed their borders to incompletely vaccinated people from other islands, but schools and other services are also operating normally and people are living normally.
Vaccines arriving in Tuvalu from Australia. Photo: Puaseiese Adrienne Pedro / The Guardian
Although most Tuvaluans are happy with the government’s decision to close the country’s borders in early 2020, it comes at a price.
Prior to the pandemic, there were three flights a week to Tuvalu from Fiji on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Women selling local crafts will set up tables near the airport to display necklaces, barrettes, garlands, small mats and baskets for sale.
Anita Filigina, one of the women selling crafts, said she made good money from her sales.
“I still sell my crafts right in front of my house and at the airport when there is a plane and I get less. Fortunately, I have another business, as my husband is a fisherman, “said Filigina.
De’Aland Pedro left Fiji, where he attended school, when the pandemic began and returned to Tuvalu. Photo: Puaseiese Adrienne Pedro / The Guardian
She is grateful that Tuvalu does not have Covid, especially because large crowds of people gather at her home when there is a catch for sale.
“I sell my fish to the public without worrying at all, because I know that everyone who comes to me is not sick and I am grateful to the government for dealing with the country properly,” Filigina said.
When Tuvalu closed its borders, Tuvaluans living outside the country immediately flocked to Fiji for repatriation.
On board the last flight from Fiji to Tuvalu in March 2020 was De’Aland Pedro, then an 11-year-old student in Fiji.
He returned to Tuvalu, where he began attending Funafuti’s only high school.
“Looking back, I feel like I’ve made the right decision to go home,” he said. “My school in Fiji has been closed for almost a year.”
“I am now doing my preliminary research on the campus of the University of South Pacific Tuvalu without any worries, because I have access to my courses online, as everything is offered online and I can always visit local professors to help me,” Pedro said.
A young boy returns from school in the capital of Tuvalu, Funafuti. Photo: Sean Gallagher / Guardian
When not studying, Pedro plays rugby on the track, fishing and touring the island at night.
Dr Tapugao Falefu, chairman of the national working group on Covid-19, said the borders would remain closed “until further notice”, except for a few repatriation flights funded by the Taiwanese government, which the government chooses to carry out before the outbreak. Covid conquers Fiji.
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