Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The arrival of the next Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu will not change and the government has been prepared for two years now in the event of the COVID-19 pandemic spread into the community, said Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo V. Ale — responding to media questions during yesterday morning’s live-streamed news conference from the Emergency Operations Center in Tafuna.

Talauega, who hosted the news conference and is also the COVID-19 Task Force chair, was first asked as to whether the Administration is looking at complete full shutdown of the territory to prevent further community spread of the virus, especially with 22 confirmed positives.

In his response, Talauega said, the “operation of the government will be based on the assessment of our medical community, and based on our review of the facts” on the ground.

“So whether or not we enter a complete shut down of the government will be determined by what we see in the next couple of weeks,” he pointed out.

Talauega, who is also the Governor’s Authorized Representative (GAR) recalled his previous statement on Tuesday that “we officially reached phase 3 of our efforts to deal with COVID.”

“The first phase was repatriation, second is commercial flights and now this is the phase where we learn to live with COVID.

“So we need to be patient and be vigilant and make decisions based on facts and not on emotions and things that are unnecessary,” he said.

On the issue of ASG preparedness for a community spread, Talauega said the government has been prepared for two-years now.

“I believe the government is well prepared, and has long prepared” for such a time when the virus spreads into the community, according to Talauega. 

Those preparations, he said, include that around 80% of the population is fully vaccinated and there’s still available vaccinations for the public.

He pointed out that activating the Code Red threat level gives the medical community time to asses the virus spread. And right now there are no changes to the next flight from Honolulu.

In his closing remarks, Talauega said, “we will try to be as transparent as we can and provide you updates” through press conferences, press releases and other publications.

And this is especially important in villages, where the government identifies positive cases going forward. He urged all those not vaccinated to do so and those fully vaccinated to get a booster shot.

He also delivered words of encouragement as American Samoa faces new challenges with the community spread of the deadly virus.

“Be kind to one another. Be kind to our healthcare providers, healthcare professionals and our frontline workers — all those who are trying to protect us from a more significant community spread. And please be patient and bear with us.

“It is mine and the governor’s hope to eventually walk us from a close-to-a-complete shutdown, to a situation where, we are comfortable living with COVID.” he said.

“We cannot prevent COVID, it’s here,” he said.