Mataeliga Pio Sioa
Samoa is one of 12 countries left in the world still free from the coronavirus pandemic. But it comes with an economic and emotional price tag that will inflate steadily as long as there is no full cure for the virus.
The economic toll is not as obvious for now despite serious job losses in our tourism industry that is practically at a standstill.
Government stimulus packages for the hotels and the general public through the NPF and other state funding sources have helped to keep our national economy grinding.
Again the fear is the longer we close our borders the harder it is for our economy to turn without tourism as our main source of income after remittances plus others.
The emotional toll is more visible though.
The most telling one of all are when loved ones passed on.
Family members outside Samoa prevented by travel lockdowns from rushing home for final goodbyes to loved ones are stranded in pools of tears.
Sons or daughters are unable to give dad or mum one last touch or hug.
A sister is prevented from seeing a brother or vice versa before they are gone forever with only loving memories to remember them by.
Being present for that very last time goes a long way in the healing process to follow at the loss of one who is dear to the heart.
Samoans may not be the only ones to suffer this painful emotional burden but if prevention against the pandemic is a matter of life and death for the living, then it is a sacrifice we all have to make.
We must not lose sight of that hard and yes, very, very painful reality.
At least for those who are forced into isolation for a short while, the reunion with loved ones smiling and waiting with open arms is worth the quarantine delay.
Imagine what the others go through waiting to see their loved ones for only a few short hours before they are lowered into the ground for eternal rest!
Indeed the emotional burden is heavy.
We may have little choice in the matter but we are not totally helpless if that is worth any consolation.
Closing our borders and going on lockdown is how we have kept ourselves safe since the corona virus surfaced about 9 months ago in China.
Above all else we have prevented Samoa from melting into an ocean of tears if the pandemic virus had reached us and run its deadly course.
Nobody wants to think about that if it can be avoided.
We have had a taste of that already with our measles epidemic.
Yes we have learned the hard way, enough to rightly bear-up under the lesser pain of being locked down rather than to allow in the coronavirus.
New Zealand has slipped back despite all their vigilance with new cases that have again surfaced after a commendable 100 plus days of being COVID-19 free.
The community transmission of the virus is a worrying twist from our perspective. The new cases are in South Auckland where there is a large concentration of our Samoan relatives.
When the virus suddenly infects a community without knowing how it came about that is a major worry. When and where did it come from are yet to be fully explained.
Hopefully the NZ health officials will be able to do so as soon as possible.
Granted that we have our process of isolation tightly in place the reassurance of knowing it is tight is worth a good night’s sleep.
Repatriation flights two or three times a week to return home the stranded travellers are our only contact with New Zealand and it is holding up so far.
A canceled Air New Zealand flight for about 40 travellers to the Cook Is. yesterday, is worth noting in the prevention of the virus from reaching the island.
The New Zealand Government reportedly played a behind the scene role in stopping the flight after a former Cook Is. PM was admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 treatment.
The medical doctor who practiced in Auckland is popular with the Cook Is. community but his office is located close to the centre of the new community-transmission virus cluster.
The preventive actions by NZ is the kind of reassurance we can sleep better with.
History shows that all our major health epidemics like the 1918 Influenza and the 2019 Measles originated from New Zealand.
While it is not as if an accusing finger is pointed at our ‘family’ neighbour, the risk of this new virus sneaking through our borders from New Zealand is high for obvious reasons.
We have repatriation flights from Fiji as well but not on the same frequency as the Auckland Apia route and that’s a relief.
We have all kept watch of the resurgence of the virus in Australia and other surrounding areas and it only adds to the risks of the pandemic slipping in.
All the more reason why we must never ever drop our guard.
Samoa along with the few countries around the world still free from the COVID-19 are blessed to be safe.
Safer would be more reassuring.
Our prayers are that we do not become complacent. Even if today is His day of rest the Lord will hear our plea.