Covid restrictions

Restrictions include a midnight to 5am curfew, as well as mandatory mask wearing and social distancing at all times in public.

The public are prohibited from entering the four small islands of 'Atata, Makaha'a, Nukunukumotu and Mango, except for residents of these islands.

Travel restrictions have also been applied to the villages of Kanukupolu and Patangata on the main island of Tongatapu.

The new protocols comes as Tonga begins to open its borders, with the Kingdom now accepting two flights per week from New Zealand.

Prime Minister, Hu’akavameiliku confirmed the reopening of classrooms at a press conference Wednesday.

He said Cabinet agreed yesterday for all schools – primary schools and early childhood – return to school from next week, following advice from the Ministry of Health.

“We already have students in secondary and high schools who had returned to classroom education in the last few weeks and we have seen the Covid test results which is very encouraging to us.”

The Government also confirmed that the colour status will remain at Orange for the next two weeks.

It will confirm after its Cabinet meeting today whether to go ahead as planned and allow shops to open and increase the outdoor gathering limit to 25.

But with 319 new cases over the weekend, and more than 1000 in the past seven days, health experts fear daily numbers cases could hit 1000 a day by Christmas if the spread is allowed to escalate further.

Public health lecturer Collin Tukuitonga said it was not the right time to ease restrictions.

"The outbreak could explode and spin out of control," he said.