Friday 11 February 2022 Apia Samoa. Samoa will return to Alert Level 1 at 6pm this afternoon as the country’s 31 covid-19 cases in isolation continue to recover and show no symptoms of the virus.
Prime Minister Hon Fiame Naomi Mataafa said Cabinet’s decision to move Samoa’s State of Emergency Orders to Alert Level 1 comes after careful consideration of the revised alert level matrix, and positive progress in vaccination rates.
Samoa’s vaccination rollout has been successful with over 89% of Samoa’s eligible adult population and 73% of children aged 12-18 now double vaccinated, awaiting booster shots. To date over two thousand have received boosters while vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11 is expected to be rolled out next. New Zealand sent 10,000 pfizer vaccinations last week to support Samoa’s booster rollout.
In terms of the 25 passengers and six nurses who had tested positive, four have fully recovered, and the rest remain well and asymptomatic.
After three and a half weeks in managed isolation, the 48 passengers from the Brisbane repatriation flight who did not get infected, have been released. Samoa has never registered a community case since the global pandemic broke out almost two and a half years ago now.
In terms of Alert Level 1 restrictions, the public are advised to continue with social distancing protocols, the wearing of masks and avoid public places.
“All operations shall continue as clearly stipulated for SOE Orders for Alert Level 1,” said the Prime Minister. “Some of the main conditions that will now apply under Level 1 include opening of all sports, the allowing of public gatherings, extended opening hours for markets, supermarkets, small stores, petrol stations and pharmacies”.
Schools will reopen and the restriction on movement for children under 12 will be lifted. All local travel by sea and land are now open including Savaii trips between Upolu and Savaii.
Restaurants will reopen for dining in, as well as bars and nightclubs.
Samoa’s borders remain closed with the exception of flights approved by Cabinet.
This is a developing story. Full SOE Orders with revised restrictions and specific opening hours will be published as soon as they are received.
