Pago Pago, AMERIAN SAMOA — Human Resource Department’s COVID-19 vaccination data, as of Dec. 27, for Executive Branch employees show that the Education Department (ASDOE) with just over 2,000 employees has the the lowest rates of fully vaccinated employees — this with schools starting up tomorrow, Jan 5, after the Christmas vacation.

DHR data — according to information received by Samoa News over the weekend —  was presented at last week’s COVID-19 Task Force meeting, providing an update on the vaccinated status of Executive Branch employees, who are required to be fully vaccinated with proof, by Jan. 14. And this is a mandated provision under the governor’s current COVID-19 emergency declaration.

A task force news release last week, based on the meeting, states that out of a total of 5,071, Executive Branch employees, 3,199 have provided proof of full vaccination, 142 have provided proof of one shot, 70 have no shots, and 36 have requested exemptions. Still pending vaccination records from various agencies totals 1,603.

Information received by Samoa News shows that ASDOE has the highest number of employees with a workforce of 2,179 but the DHR vaccination data report, as of the morning of Dec. 27, shows only 915 employees fully vaccinated; 48 of them with one-shot, nine with “no vaccination:, two requesting exemption and 1,205 are still pending with no vaccination records from ASDOE.

Some of the departments or agencies that the public has questioned on the status of their vaccination rate, are the Health Department, Public Safety, the Governor’s Office and local Homeland Security Department (ASDHS).

 Information received by Samoa News states that of DoH’s total workforce is 315 and 274 are fully vaccinated; DPS total workforce of 359 with 253 fully vaccinated; the Governor’s Office total workforce of 172 with 158 having received both doses for full vaccination; and ASDHS total number of employees 201 with 135 of them fully vaccinated.

 Other employees in these three departments and the Governor’s Office have either one shot, a few seeking exemption, or DHR awaiting updated information on proof of vaccination.

Task Force chairman, Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo V. Ale, and the Governor’s Chief of Staff Tuimavave Tauapa’i Laupola reiterated during the meeting that the onus is on directors of their respective departments and offices to obtain records of vaccination status and encourage immunization for the safety of their staff and community.

Talauega, who is also the Governor’s Authorized Representative (GAR), noted that semi-autonomous entities fall under the discretion of their respective employers and that the report from the DHR only covers executive branch employees subject to the mandated COVID-19 vaccination.