Gov hints plans afoot to ease restrictions on ASG and business operations
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — In his virtual Zoom address late yesterday morning, Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga announced that the COVID-19 Task Force and the government plan to ease restrictions on ASG operations and businesses.
According to the governor, who delivered his address in Samoan, the task force will release soon, at least by today, Monday, March 14, details of lifting some restrictions for businesses and government operations — which he acknowledges cannot be closed for too long and must resume.
(Samoa News notes that there was no indication at press time, as to when the task force would release details on the planned lifting of some restrictions.)
While the governor didn’t hint on the possible restrictions he plans to reduce, he did say that all schools and child care centers will remain closed until further notice.
Furthermore, the curfew will remain in place from 9p.m nightly to 4:30a.m the next day.
The task force extended businesses hours from 5a.m to 6p.m while gas stations and public transportation were returned to normal operations in an earlier announcement.
In his address, the governor hinted at a plan that would change the current three-tier threat level (Code Blue, Code, Yellow and Code Red) — which was established in early 2020 by the Lolo Administration.
Details would be released soon by the task force, he said and reiterated there are restrictions are still in place moving forward to protect the health and safety of the community, although some will be lifted for ASG and business operations.
The governor urged the community to be fully vaccinated and get a booster shot. He said the latest data shows that vaccination rate is about 81% and booster doses have increased.
He called on all sectors of the community to work together to protect the territory during these challenging times.
Lemanu spoke from the Emergency Operations Center in Tafuna and was surrounded by some members of the task force including chairman, Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale and Secretary of Samoan Affairs Mauga T. Asuega, who also spoke briefly in Samoan calling for public cooperation to keep the community safe.