As of December 21, 2020, Vanuatu has only one confirmed case of COVID-19, an traveller inbound from the United States who has since recovered inside a managed quarantine facility. In mid-March, Vanuatu implemented border restrictions and required arrivals to quarantine in designated facilities. A confirmed case on a cruise ship which had visited Vanuatu prompted the government to institute a national lockdown, declare a state of emergency and suspend schools on March 26. The orders have since been lifted, though social distancing and proper hygiene are still encouraged. A Category 5 cyclone in April complicated COVID-19 prevention efforts as it devastated communities across the Pacific country. Though at present there is no community transmission of COVID-19 within the country, a cluster of cases would prompt Vanuatu to progress into its next stage of COVID-19 response, which involves limiting travel between islands and mandating masks.
Devastating Cyclone, COVID-19 Rattle Vanuatu (April 22, 2020)
