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Protecting Manu’a Islands from COVID — emergency flights only authorized

Code Red logo
Several Manu’a students on Tutuila for the science fair are now stranded
fili@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — During a Zoom session news conference on Tuesday, Health director Motusa Tuileama Nua said that for right now, only emergency flights are operating to the Manu’a island group and the agency will continue to assess the health situation there.

He also said that they are looking at monitoring ‘alias’ traveling between Tutuila and Manu’a, as American Samoa’s threat level is now at Code Red, as declared by the governor, due to community spread of COVID-19.

With the community spread of the virus on Tutuila, residents in Manu’a have posted on social media and communicated with others on Tutuila, their concerns with spread of the deadly virus to the island group, where the MV Manu’atele arrived on Monday.

Added to that are parents and others in Manu’a concerned with seven students who traveled to Tutuila for last week’s science fair, that closed with the awards ceremony last Friday at Gov. Rex Lee Auditorium, with so many students and teachers inside the facility.

The students were initially set to return to Manu’a on Tuesday this week, but remain on Tutuila as the flights are emergency only and they have activated their remote learning plan whereby teachers and students are able to access their portals, according to ASG officials.

The Manu’a students, as well as concerns with spreading the virus to the island group was one of the matters covered Tuesday, during the weekly COVID-19 Task Force meeting, where it was re-stated that Manu’a flights are now emergency only and a recommendation was made to look into the impact — especially on food supply — if the virus does spread to Manu’a.

While there was discussion on testing the Manu’a students here, a concern voiced was that while the test results may come out negative here, what if the symptoms don’t show up until their return back home, causing a possible spread.

Meanwhile, the “Code Red” threat level will remain in effect until Mar. 1, according to a news release from Governor’s Office as well as other ASG documents made public since Tuesday.

Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga declared the new Code Red threat level Monday night after health officials confirmed community spread of COVID-19 in the territory.

The governor said at the time that the elevated threat level would last for at least a week, while local authorities review the status of the community spread.

Documents released by ASG on Tuesday morning this week show that the elevated threat level is in effective through Mar. 1 and this is also the same time frame from a news release from the Governor’s Office late Tuesday afternoon based on the governor’s declaration Monday night.

“If required, further guidance will be given regarding this elevated threat level extension beyond a week, should the GAR and COVID-19 Taskforce decide an extension is necessary,” the news release said.

Among the restrictions under Code Red is businesses are restricted to operate only from 5a.m to 4p.m. And families are encouraged to designated one family member to go to the store.

Some major retailers and store officials are urging shoppers not to bring the whole family or even children, but designate one family member to do the shopping.

Several shoppers told Samoa News they observed families showing up with their young children in tow at stores.

ASG officials remind the public to stay home and to heed the advice from Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale, who offered it during Tuesday’s news conference — “stay at home with your families and learn to be together as a family until we figure out where we will go from here.”