Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The first repatriated group of American Samoa residents received their first COVID-19 test yesterday after arriving home this past Monday afternoon. This was confirmed by the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the Dept. of Heath (DoH) — former Manu’a #1 lawmaker, Vesi Talalelei Fautanu Jr.

Vesi told Samoa News that everyone is in good condition and their medical team, along with everyone working at the site is doing their best to make sure that the group, along with everyone else, is safe and protected from the virus.

The mission at hand now is to ensure the quarantine site is well monitored making it absolutely safe for our community at large, he said.

“Everything is going smoothly as it was planned by our American Samoa COVID-19 Task Force team as the first repatriated group received their first COVID-19 test since arrival yesterday,” Vesi said.

Samoa News has received numerous phone calls from members of the public voicing their concern about the safety and the security of residents after seeing some members of the first repatriated group walking around on their balconies, while others were sitting inside their rooms with windows open and you can see them from outside.

When questioned about the situation, Vesi assured that their first priority is to safeguard our residents and that why they have instructed everyone to practice social distancing and wear masks. He said that the group is allowed to walk or stand on the balcony of their hotel rooms. He assures the public that the whole facility where the group is currently quarantined is well secured.

“Sometimes the elderly need fresh air and that’s why we recommended for them to stand at their hotel window or walk on the balcony to breath the [fresh] air because it’s good for their health,” Vesi said.

Feedback from several members of the first repatriated group has been positive. They said they all support a “COVID-19 free American Samoa”.

Three physicians who traveled with the group from Honolulu are checking on travelers with existing health conditions. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Tradewinds Hotel security are in charge of the hotel grounds and security outside, while staff from the DoH oversee inside the hotel and all 159 returning residents.

Aside from the arrival of the first repatriation flight this week, the Task Force is working on putting together a plan for the Military flight which is scheduled to arrive next week, bringing home over 30 passengers including soldiers and NOAA employees. The group is already in quarantine for ten days in Honolulu awaiting a military aircraft bringing our stranded soldiers back home.