Tonga Red Cross to give out Covid-19 prevention information

Volunteers from the Tonga Red Cross Society are distributing thousands of leaflets this week with information about how to prevent Covid-19 coronavirus.

Volunteers have been working with the Ministry of Health to create guidelines tailored to a range of communities in Tonga including families, the elderly, youth and the disabled.

The leaflets include information about prevention, symptoms of coronavirus, and services available to help with any queries about the virus.

Communications Officer Polikalepo Kefu said the main message Tonga Red Cross Society wanted to get across to the public was how to prevent coronavirus.

"We want to make sure people know the correct way to wash your hands, including doing so for 20 seconds. Also, avoid touching your face and sneeze or cough into your elbow.

"We want to inform Tongans about social distancing and that they are adhering to the stand two-metres away from each other if in the public.

"We do have information about how to self-isolate if you are in quarantine. The best advice there is to stay home."

Ms Kefu said the society had printed out about 5000 leaflets in Tongan for distribution around Tongatapu.

Volunteers would be going house to house handing out the leaflets and had been advised to keep their distance while out and about.

"Seeing Tonga is at stage one, for the next two weeks we will be doing our best to get around the whole of Tonga with these leaflets. It is also available online on our Facebook page."

"After day one of distribution, we plan to meet up in the evening to listen to the feedback from our volunteers and how the community find the leaflets and work from there for the rest of the island groups."