The pandemic caused by the virus, COVID-19 has had wide-ranging effects on coastal and island communities throughout the South Pacific. Solomon Islands has not recorded any cases of COVID-19 but the virus and the closing of international borders have had a trickle-down effect on all aspects of life, ranging from loss of employment to the closing of schools. Staff from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) visited nine coastal communities in the Russell Islands to determine the immediate effects of the COVID-19 situation. Russell Islands are part of Central Province, located West of the main island of Guadalcanal in Solomon Islands, comprising two main islands, Pavuvu and Banika, with several smaller islets. A questionnaire developed by Worldfish was used with 27 key informants from the 9 most populated Russell Islands’ communities over a 3-day period.
