Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Several LBJ Tropical Medical Center nurses say they have been placed on leave without pay after they failed to comply with the Governor’s mandate for all first responders and health workers to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 — including the booster shot.

Some nurses believe that the decision is just politics, while others believe that the decision violates their Constitutional rights and the government must reconsider the move.

One nurse told Samoa News,“They just came to us and told us not to come to work anymore and we will be on leave without pay because we did not get our 3rd COVID shots,” the nurse said.

“I worked so hard for my annual leaves and sick leaves for all these years of my service and now they did this to me and other fellow co-workers.

“This is ridiculous and our government leaders must do something about this,” she stated.

Another nurse said that taking her 3rd COVID shot at this time is too early for her. She’s fully vaccinated and she’s counting on her body to heal itself naturally before she takes her 3rd shot.

“It appears our leaders are trying to force employees to do what they want instead of leaving it up to the employee to decide on his or her own time,” another nurse said.

Two other nurses said they were put on leave without pay in March of this year and now their families are facing financial hardship due to the fact that they’ve been on unpaid leave for almost two months now.

(Samoa News points out that the booster mandate only went into effect on April 13, which was last week.)

 “The decision is mine and I already knew the consequences. I’m not anti-vax, but I am for informed decision making and self-determination of my final health care decision,” another nurse said, adding that no one is at fault except the leaders who continue to control what the employee should do and should not do.

One nurse said that she’s just didn’t believe the LBJ management would enforce this mandate with the current shortage of nurses.

“I heard that there are other healthcare workers who did not get their 3rd shots but are still working,” another nurse claimed.

There were other American Samoa Government (ASG) employees who reached out to Samoa News last week complaining about the same thing.

One employee who has served ASG for 15 years said he, along with two other employees from their department were placed on leave without pay last week due to the fact that they are not in compliance with the Governor’s declaration.

A memo was issued by the LBJ Acting CEO, Moefaauo Bill Emmsley on Mar. 31, 2022, reminding all health workers at the LBJ regarding the Governor’s declaration about the mandates for the COVID-19 booster shot.

The memo says that “pursuant to subject declaration issued by the Governor on Mar. 14, 2022, ‘booster shots’ for healthcare workers in general, first responders in particular, and essential employees throughout ASG are compulsory and they must be completed by April 13, 2022 at the end of the business day.”

“This memo serves as a reminder to the extent of this modified declaration. Thus, please refer to the attached declaration for further clarification and more so, item #6 of the enclosure. Your attention and cooperation on this matter is greatly appreciated,” the memo concluded.

On Mar. 14, 2022, Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga issued a modified COVID-19 Emergency Declaration that included the booster mandate. According to the Governor, “Our efforts to keep the community transmission rates to a minimum continue, and our program moving forward could not have been possible without the coordination between our local and federal counterparts.”

COVID-19 booster shots are mandated for certain first responders and essential workers who are eligible and not exempted to include:

(a) Healthcare workers

(b) Police officers

(c) Firefighters

(d) Emergency Medical Technicians, and

(e) Employees who work at the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF) and the Juvenile Detention Center (JDC).

BACKGROUND

COVID vaccinations have been mandatory for all employees of the American Samoa Government since December 15 of last year, which was the deadline for those without COVID shots to comply.