Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — At last week’s Health Department news conference, House Health Committee chairperson, Rep. Andrea T. Samoa noted a local “group of resistance” to the COVID-19 vaccine who are opposed to the government’s efforts getting the community vaccinated for protection from the deadly pandemic.

Rep. Samoa along with her House colleague, Rep. Sam Meleisea are representing the Fono on the government’s “Protect AS One” vaccination campaign and partnering with the DoH and others in ASG as well as the American Samoa Chamber of Commerce. 

Working along side with DoH, the two lawmakers — as well as representatives of the Chamber of Commerce — spoke on local radio stations about the importance of the mass vaccination drive that began two weeks ago, with the Central District, as the government pushes for a higher vaccination rate, with a focus on children ages 5 to 11 years old.

During the DoH news conference, Rep. Samoa reiterated the Fono’s support of the Executive Branch’s mass vaccination drive, with the goal of reaching a 90% or more vaccination rate. She acknowledged so “many benefits” American Samoa has received from the federal government as a result of the pandemic.

However, “we realize that there is a group of resistance and this group is putting [out] rumors, fake news and fear[mongering] so that people don’t trust the nurses and doctors and all the health specialists that are trying to push this,” she said referring to “Protect AS One” vaccination campaign.

“So we believe that we cannot fight this pandemic with the rumors and misinformation, but only with science and facts,” she said, and noted that she and Rep. Meleisea — who also attended and spoke during the news conference — and senators “are very passionate of our belief” in this effort in getting the community fully vaccinated.

Rep. Samoa said there are people out there that have already emailed the policy makers — the senators and faipule who are on health committees — with opposition to the vaccination effort.

“So all I can recommend to our local protesters here — is come. Come and spend time with us and we can provide all your information and we will also elaborate and clarify with science and facts, the value and the protection that we’re trying to promote to protect our community,” she said, and made a passionate plea, not only as a lawmaker but a mother — for parents to have their children ages 5 to 11 vaccinated, as well as everyone eligible to get the vaccine.

As previously reported by Samoa News, the local non-profit group, “Amerika Samoa Ala Mai” (ASAM) is calling out to government leaders to slow down with their plans for a vaccine mandate and give the community the opportunity to get answers to the many questions they’re asking, before making the decision whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine or not.

A handful of senior ASG officials contacted by Samoa News believe that the misinformation circulating widely on social media as well as in the community is slowing down efforts to reach the vaccinated percentage goal that the governor wants — 90% or more.

Data presented by DoH at this week’s COVID-19 Task Force meeting shows that as of Monday 67.5% of the territory’s eligible population are fully vaccinated. (See details in separate story elsewhere in this issue.)

Samoa News should also point out that strong opposition is coming from people who are quoting bible scripture as the reason for not supporting the mass vaccination effort by the government.