By Staff Writer
The new Government pre-election rush to open the travel borders for Samoa is screeching to a virtual standstill as the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic picks up speed again to threaten serious risks of spreading into Samoa.
A repatriation flight scheduled from New Zealand for this week on the 26 of August 2021 is canceled until further notice.
The decisive action was in response to the sudden risk levels surge in New Zealand with the community spread of the highly contagious Delta virus variant of the pandemic.
The Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa confirmed the suspension of the repatriation flight set to arrive in Samoa next Thursday.
“The new Dealt variant warning in New Zealand has increased to Stage 4 as it spreads into the community so on the advice of our Health and NEOC, Cabinet has decided to suspend the scheduled flight,’ PM Fiame confirmed on Wednesday.
The strict approach by the Ministry of Health to keep the borders on lockdown will welcome the flight suspension with relief.
Fiji, with just over an hour’s flight from Samoa is going through some serious problems with the same virus variant to pose more worries of the pandemic spread.
There are already two confirmed Samoans in Fiji reported to be infected by the virus during the week.
Both are students on studies at the Fulton Theological College in Suva.
One of the infected students told Newsline Samoa in an online interview there are 25 Samoans living in the College campus 4 of them are couples with children.
The infected students have already had their first injections with one starting to recover and the other feeling the early symptoms of the pandemic.
The student who talked to Newsline Samoa said they suspected a person from campus brought in the virus after returning from a shopping.
“The effects of the pandemic starts with a running nose for me and on the first night it was a struggle to breath through a blocked nose,” the student recalled.
‘By morning the eyes were swollen and it was painful looking out into the daylight. Dry throat and painful coughing as well as bleeding nose after a while.
“Sleeping is not easy with stabbing pain felt in all parts of the body, but thankfully I am slowly starting to recover along with several other students we’re studying campus.”
Students from the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Samoa study at the Fulton Theological College.
Church secretary in Samoa Pastor Neru Nuuialii is unable to comment on the local students studying in campus when asked by Newsline Samoa.
He was at the time waiting on an official notification for the church mission office in Fiji.
The Director General of Health, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri was also unaware of the Samoan students case in Fiji but confirmed strict quarantine measures already in place for travelers infected with the virus have to go through before coming to Samoa.
“ All those infected are kept under quarantine watch for 6 months and undergo regular treatment and observation before they are cleared for travel to Samoa,” Leausa clarified.
“These students in Fiji will have to be quarantined in Fiji for at least 6 months and medically cleared for travel before they are released for homebound travel.”
The tightening of borders for travel into Samoa during the week comes while the Ministry of Health is speeding up the vaccination roll out against the pandemic with a door- to- door injection campaign.
The target is 98 per cent of the eligible population or 130,000 people to be fully vaccinated enough to set off a protective herd immunity effect.
The Ministry of Health will be able to breath a little easier at the security protection even if they would be more comfortable at one hundred percent vaccination.
More than 67 per cent of the eligible population have already received first injections with more than 27 percent have completed their second shots.
Pregnant women and all who are under 18 years old are not vaccinated under the current campaign.
PM Fiame has re-assured everyone that there will be no rush to open the travel orders until it is safe to do so.
“But we will still continue with our discussions with New Zealand for bubble travel arrangements when the time is right.”
Opposition leader Tuilaepa agree with the cautious approach after warning against any rush by the new Government to open the borders for travel as promised before the general elections.