Department of Health Update
Updated: Jun 29, 2022
By: Tosimaeʻa Tupua
Email: tupua@opi.as.gov
Only 57 passengers arrived on Monday night's flight from Honolulu and all tested negative of Covid-19 according to Dr Elizabeth Lauvao. The 55 adults and two children are now in isolation at home for 5 days. They are required to check on the Talofa Pass every day during their 5 days isolation. The next flight from Hawaii is Thursday this week and according to Lauvao more than 200 passengers have already registered their interests to travel to the Territory.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Taskforce Committee, Lt Governor Talauega E. V Ale has approved a proposal by the Department of Health to allow passengers from Apia to travel on Lady Naomi. Starting next week Thursday June 30th, the MV Lady Naomi will conduct usual weekly trips between the two Samoa. The number of passengers allowed per week will be limited to 60 according to Dr Lauvao. KVZK News understands the Taskforce Committee has also approved a proposal by Starkist to increase its net cleaners to 400-450 to produce the planned volume. Allowing Lady Naomi to bring workers from Apia will be very helpful to staffing Star Kist and our people in general traveling inter-island cost-wise. As of this morning June 21, 2022 American Samoa’s cumulative case count since the outbreak is 6,353. From that number a total of 6,251 have recovered so the total active case count is 102. No one in Manua tested positive of covid in the last 24 hrs. DOH reports that a total of 84.8 percent are fully vaccinated and 89 percent have at least one dose.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday gave final approval for use of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children six months through four years old and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for children six months through five years old. The approval followed the FDA’s amendment of the emergency use authorization for both vaccines. According to the news release issued on Saturday by the CDC, all children, including children who have already had COVID-19, should get vaccinated.