I Lesatele
Burial services are no longer events for big crowds, since the COVID 19 lockdown, placed a heavily restricted lid on relatives and friends allowed to attend.
Funerals are public gatherings the pandemic virus can quickly and easily spread to a large number of people crowded into one single location.
Obligation to culture at any passing in a family, attracts not just relatives and friends but virtually the rest of the village population sharing the grief and giving support to the family in keeping with customs and traditions.
But the big turnouts are outlawed as from a Cabinet meeting of 22nd March 2022 except for only eleven (11) people to be present at a burial service.
The ruling spelt out specifically the attendance of only the church minister and ten family members of the deceased living in the same household.
Burial services are also to be held only on the days essential services are opened.
The following dates and days are approved for essential services – Saturday 26th2022, Tuesdays 29th March, Saturday 2nd April and Tuesday 5th April.
These services were initially from 8 am to 2pm previously before the deadline was extended to 4.00pm starting this week.
The people who attend the burial services must also observe the following :
– social distancing, must wear face masks, must be 12 years of age and above and must show COVID-19 Vaccination card.
Essential services include businesses such as markets, supermarkets and small shops, wholesale, pharmacies, restaurants for take away only, wholesale, water suppliers, petrol stations, gas outlets,banks and money transfers, rubbish collection and others.
Under the State Of Emergency SOE Order all church worship and gatherings are prohibited. All public transport and commuting by buses are prohibited. Swimming at beaches , rivers and pools are not allowed.
Samoa is currently on Alert Level 3 and is on national lockdown.