Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — More than 3,000 first-doses were administered to children ages five to 11 years old during three weeks of the government’s “Protect AS One” mass vaccination drive, which focused on this age group, as American Samoa aims for a 90% or more vaccination rate.

This is according to health officials during a Health Department news conference on Wednesday, where the territory’s lead Epidemiologist, Dr. Aifili John Tufa of DoH gave an update on the COVID-19 vaccination.

He first points out that Dec. 20th marked one year since COVID-19 vaccination started in American Samoa and to this date, “we have administered over 75,000 doses. And currently 33,695 individuals are fully vaccinated. And that comes out to about 68.7% of the entire population”.

Dr. Tufa also gave an update on the three-week mass vaccination drive which started on Dec. 1st through Dec. 17, and began with the Central District, followed by West and East district last week, with vaccination sites mostly at schools.

He said the vaccination drive administered over 6,500 doses and among that total, 4,258 were first doses. For the five to 11 year olds, he said a total of 3,741 first-doses were administered.

“Overall the turn out was very good,” he said, noting that it’s one-year now since the start of vaccination in the territory and its been a successful effort.

He acknowledged and expressed sincere thanks to the village mayors, school principals and teachers, parents and of course the children along with students at the schools “for their warm hospitality and support of this very important work” during the mass vaccination drive.

And on behalf of DoH, he thanked the community — including church and village leaders — for their support during the 12-months of the vaccination effort. He also thanked DoH partners and the private sector for unwavering support.

Dr. Tufa along with health officials continue to urge the residents who have not received the COVID-19 vaccinate dose to do so as soon as possible at vaccination clinics open today while tomorrow, all clinics are closed for the Christmas holiday. Call DoH hotline 219 for more information and locations.

OTHER ISSUES

Dr. Tufa also provided an update on the latest imported COVID-19 cases. He explained that the last Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu for this year was on Dec. 6th with 253 travelers. And after 7 days of quarantine, one individual tested positive and currently in isolation for 14-days. This particular traveler is fully vaccinated and asymptomatic and is still asymptomatic.  DoH anticipates this individual to be released from isolation on Dec. 24th.

And so far the total positive imported cases from Hawaiian Airlines flights since Aug. 30^th is eleven and these cases were all local residents who are fully vaccinated.

Of the overall total of positive case, DoH has recorded in its lab 17, which includes the 11 from Hawaiian Airlines flights and the other six were at seaport operations at the Port of Pago Pago.

Health officials have said in the past that these six cases are considered “transiting” as the individuals, who are crewmembers remained on board the vessel and never came on land.

During Wednesday’s news conference, Dr. Tufa reminded the community that crewmembers on the vessels are tested prior to entering the port and if there is any positive test, the vessels stay out at sea for seven days.  Additionally, the local stevedores handle all the cargo off loading.

He said DoH is still conducting tests at the seaport operations in American Samoa efforts to protect the island from the deadly virus.

Dr. Tufa also spoke about the Fiji Airways charter, which arrived on Dec. 16th from Nadi, Fiji saying that here were 86 healthcare workers and their dependents onboard and they are quarantined at Sadie’s by the Sea hotel. Dr. Tufa said the first test was done on Dec. 18th and the results were all negative.

The final test is today, Dec. 22nd and “we will release the results as soon as we receive them,” he said, noting that if everyone tests negative these travelers will be released on Dec. 23rd.