Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A one time “hero pay” bonus is in the works for COVID-19 Task Force members and key support staff for the work they have accomplished over the past year.

In a Task Force press release issued yesterday, Lt Governor Talauega Eleasalo Ale — who is also the Task Force chair, pointed out that hero pay has been implemented in various cities and states as an incentive to healthcare and frontline workers amid documented cases globally of depression and mental health challenges due to staff shortages and burnout.

 “In the last two years ASG leaders and employees have taken on additional responsibilities due to COVID-19 from airport and seaport flight operations, mass vaccination efforts, repatriation efforts, and quarantine operations. This “hero pay” is a small token of appreciation from the Governor and myself for their leadership and supporting role in keeping American Samoa safe. Only fully vaccinated task force members and support staff will be allowed to receive their hero pay”, added the Lieutenant Governor.

The Talauega also highlighted a few important updates including the recent Fiji repatriation charter that brought over 80+ healthcare professionals, dependents, and returning students to address critical workforce shortages at the LBJ Tropical Medical Center and AS Department of Health. The Fiji passengers will be released upon fulfillment of their 7-day quarantine this week.

Regarding Apia flights, Talauega shared that the hope for the new year ahead is that flights between the two Samoas will be normalized and regular commercial flight schedules to be coordinated with the Samoa Government. Flights between the two Samoas have been ongoing for most of the year to repatriate returning residents in Samoa, special skilled laborers, guest workers, and to assist residents requiring US Visas to seek medical care in the US

The Task Force has approved a request from Star Kist for additional guest workers from Samoa to meet production needs and flight arrangements for December 23rd and December 29th. Efforts are ongoing between the ASG and Samoa Government to support those efforts.

A majority of the travelers from the December 6th Hawaiian Airlines flight were discharged to their homes last week and the positive case in isolation is expected to be released in time for the Christmas holiday.

VACCINATION COVERAGE

DOH Epidemiologist Dr Aifili Tufa provided a global overview of the COVID-19 with 545,136 new cases and 5,766 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours.

In the Pacific island countries and areas, 293 new cases and 2 new deaths were reported since last week. The Pacific island reporting the most cases is the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) with 217 new cases and 2 new deaths. Dr Tufa referred to the CNMI as an example of how imported positive cases –– entering through flights –– seeped into the community and spread in areas where vaccination rates were low.

American Samoa has so far seen 11 imported cases through commercial flights that were immediately isolated and recovered and 6 border cases detected at the ports that never entered the community.

Updates from the mass vaccination drive show that in the first 17 days of December, a total of 6,499 doses were administered including the last three weeks of the mass vaccination drive. Dr Tufa expects that total doses will exceed 7,000 in the coming weeks surpassing the last 7 months of the Territory’s vaccination efforts. Of the 6,499 total doses administered –– 4,258 were first shots, 451 were second shots, and 1,790 were booster shots. In addition, 3,791 that received their first or second shots were 5 - 11 year olds.

In terms of vaccination coverage (entire population) –– 79.0% have at least one dose, 67.8% are fully vaccinated, 12.4% have no shots yet, and 8.6% are ineligible (under 5 years old). The number of fully vaccinated individuals should increase as individuals are due and return for their second shots.

The vaccination schedule for the remainder of the week is as follows:

•           On Thursday, Dec 23, four sites will be open from 8 AM-12 Noon: DYWA Tafuna, the Health Centers in Amouli and Leone, and select clinics at the Tafuna Health Center.

•           All COVID-19 vaccination sites will be closed on Christmas Ever, Friday, Dec. 24.

Feel free to contact the DOH Hotline at 219 for further inquiries.