Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa has announced that as of midnight tonight, Samoa will move to Alert Level 1 for the next four weeks.
Fiame has also announced easing of some restrictions with the downgrading of the alert level.
There has been a report of a death taking the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 26.
The reopening of schools continues this week with the resumption of all primary schools while all early childhood education resume in July.
International travels continue to operate on requirements approved earlier this month and the number of flights to Samoa from next month will shift to daily flights with the complete opening of borders on 1 August.
Flights between the two Samoa’s will start daily operations, conditional on the satisfaction of health requirements.
SOE amendments:
1. All businesses to return to normal opening hours from Monday to Sunday.
2. Children under five (5) years old are now allowed in public places conditional on adherence to health requirements.
3. Permission for fishing boats crews’ shore leave is granted upon arrival at Matautu wharf while offloading their catches, and replenishment of supplies. This is subject to satisfaction of health requirements.
4. Resumption of daily flights from American Samoa to Apia.
5. Continuation of PCR tests for all arriving passengers and the removal of home isolation conditions.
6. Continued encouragement of the wearing of facial masks, social distancing and good hygiene.
Fiame said the monitoring of home isolation for arrivals is the prelude to the full opening of our borders.
“We have faced challenges in the effective monitoring of health measures for home isolation as were the experience over the last two weeks. However the message from government is clear for all travelers into Samoa –compliance with health measures is surety of the safety of families and loved ones,” she added.
According to Fiame, the frontline efforts to safeguard Samoa's borders and to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus, continue since its first confirmed community case on 17 March, 2022.
The latest figures from the Ministry of Health on the status of the Covid- 19 confirmed that 13,499 people have been infected.
Out of this number, 13,405 are community cases, and 94 are imported cases.
Five patients are currently monitored in isolation wards, and none in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Moto’otua hospital.
Photo Talaia Mika Caption: Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa