Frontline workers

Samoa was the last place they docked, on 1 March.

This was announced by the Prime Minister in an interview with Government owned newspaper Savali over the weekend.

She said the American Samoa Government relayed this information to Samoa, after the crew members arrived in the US territory and had tested positive.

The Prime Minister explained that crew members from cargo vessels normally do not interact with front-liners, except for health workers.

Five frontline nurses had been caring for the infected passengers from the Brisbane flight at MIQ when they all became infected.

Without hesitation they told authorities that they would continue to work and care for the infected patients.

Their selfless acts have not gone unnoticed and TV1Samoa reports the Samoa Nurses Association have praised the resolve of their members, who are now isolation patients themselves.

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa acknowledged the hard work and sacrifice of frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic during a press conference where she also announced the bonus pay.

“The government employees (at the front line) working on the repatriation and quarantine process had been doing this for a long time now and their contribution is enormous to the safety of Samoa but they are still getting paid the normal wage,” she said.