A recent Pasifika Futures’ Ngalu Fānifo segment on 531 PI focused on the importance of families staying prepared with the current Omicron outbreak. Mrs Falefata encourages families to be well-informed, especially with the constant changes and to have a routine in place.

“Be prepared by getting the right information and getting it from a trusted source. After that, sit down as a family and have a talk about what you can do if someone gets Omicron.

Make sure you’ve got a routine for your family such as chores and making sure there’s time to go outside for fresh air. It may seem like simple things, but those will make a big difference in how we cope mentally.”

Mrs Falefata says it is also important to reassure our elderly if your household goes into isolation. 

“Firstly, we can help them understand as a lot of the information out there is in English, so help them by translating. Also, include them in the daily routine. If you’re going outside, reassure them it is safe to, but within boundaries.

I think one of the most important things is if they are on medication. Make sure they’ve always got two weeks of supply ready.”

Mrs Falefata acknowledges that for parents of a household, it may be a distressing time, but she emphasizes that sharing responsibilities can help ease the pressure of looking after your family. 

If your family needs to go into isolation, you can find information on how to be better prepared from the Covid-19 website.

See the full Ngalu Fānifo segment here. The segment is once a week on 531’s Pacific Days show with Ma’a Brian Sagala at 12:40pm. You can listen in on the radio or livestream on the 531 Facebook page.

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Date: Thursday 17 March