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A Love Letter: “The Elephant in the Room…”

I’ve been in New Zealand for about two years now — waiting for the quarantine time between Samoa and American Samoa to become less time consuming, i.e there are no transit passengers allowed between the two islands (as far as I’ve been told). I would have to quarantine for at least 10 days in Samoa, and then another 10 days in Pago (if all goes right). I’ve made sure I’m fully vaccinated, including getting the booster shot.

However, I’m still hesitant, because I don’t want to be known as Patient Zero — you know — the one that brought COVID-19 into the community and the time spent in quarantine is just not doable for me — mentally or work-wise.

I have a very small bubble I’m living in right now, and have been able to avoid infection, by going through at least 3 lockdowns — one of them was targeted in Auckland specifically; and by getting vaccinations, using masks, social distancing and limiting contact with people, I have remained ‘free’ — if we can ever use that word again to describe our lives. It’s freedom within a ‘bubble’ — created to keep the COVID-19 at bay.

Which brings me to ‘the elephant in the room’ that needs to be acknowledged by us, the residents of American Samoa. Especially since this quarantine debacle — about which it is rumored that microwaves have been thrown out of hotel windows, fire alarms set off, police called to keep the quarantined people trying to leave — contained, and the governor apologizing and taking the blame for the extended quarantine period. Giving it some thought, I think any finger pointing should stop — and either the Department of Health should say it out loud or the governor, or even the Task Force.

COVID-19 is here to stay. To live through it we have the tools, although there are no guarantees, there never were and should never have been implied.

When we opened our borders — even restricted as it is — we are giving it — COVID-19 — a nod to enter. There’s nothing wrong with opening the borders because we cannot live in a vacuum — we need the outside contact for our basic survival — mentally, socially and economically.

COVID-19, particularly this omicron variant is highly transmittable and is entering American Samoa through our limited open borders, no matter what precautions or restrictions have been taken or are in place. No matter if you are vaccinated or had the booster shot. It hasn’t spread to the community yet, but it’s a matter of ‘when’ not ‘never’. The nature of the virus makes that a given. We can but try to lessen the amount of pain it will inflict upon us.

Just take a look at the number of travelers who tested positive in quarantine from the last two Hawaiian Air flights, and you can see the pattern emerging.

COVID-19 is entering the territory through our borders, and will continue to do so as long as our borders stay open. How fast it will enter, will depend on quarantine measures put in place by the DoH and Task Force, as well as restrictions on the number of flights into the territory.

Will we be able to keep it from spreading into the community?

Evidenced in New Zealand (noted as one of best COVID-19 protectors), no matter the stringent border restrictions, community spread is inevitable — whether through passengers or quarantine workers. It will necessitate lockdowns, like what occurred in Samoa, if any case does make it out from our borders.

Having said that — another pink elephant begins to float around: Do you trust LBJ or DoH to treat the community cases when (not if) they happen?

Having expressed my fears and thoughts about COVID-19 in the territory, let’s acknowledge a simple fact:

TOOLS ARE AT HAND FOR US TO USE: Get vaccinated, get your booster shot, and practice being “safe” by wearing a mask when you go out in public or are among strangers, social distance, wash your hands, keep your contact with people limited.

AND… do not — I repeat — do not drink the “kool-aid”. The ignorance alone can kill you! 

Happy Valentine’s Day.