Heartbreaking choice: Fijians send families to Australia as COVID-19 outbreak intensifies
More than 300 Australians flee. As Fiji’s COVID-19 outbreak continues, some Fijians with ties to Australia have made the difficult choice to send their families to relative safety abroad.
Republished from ABC Radio Australia.
As Fiji’s COVID-19 outbreak continues, some Fijians with ties to Australia have made the difficult choice to send their families to relative safety abroad.
There are now more than 22,000 cases of COVID-19 in Fiji and 239 people have died since April.
For some the decision to head to Australia means leaving behind their old lives, loved ones, businesses, and property.
At Lami outside Suva, Inoke Kalounisiga and Ellana Bickerdike own a cafe and run some of Fiji’s biggest community concert events.
The recent death of a close friend from COVID-19 contributed to their decision to fly Ms Bickerdike, who’s an Australian citizen, and their four sons to Australia.
“Every single person that you know, knows somebody that’s currently affected by COVID, whether it be themselves or their family member or their friend, and it’s a very helpless feeling.”
Ellana Bickerdike
In the tourist town of Nadi, Adrian Bossley is on his own after his wife and two kids, who are dual Australian and Fijian citizens, travelled to Australia.
“We had our life made … we bought this beautiful life house … everything was set up and then COVID hit,” he said.
Adrian Bossley
“But as time went on we had to be realistic with what was best for our family”.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said 320 Australians have returned from Fiji since March last year.
Contact Reporter, Lice Movono
