By Staff Writer
Normal life in Samoa is basically being restored after midnight tonight, Tuesday 19 April 2022, in direct defiance of health security risks from the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic.
The Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, officially announced this afternoon, 15 new amendments to the State of Emergency Orders to be effective over the next two weeks starting mid-night tonight.
From tonight until 3 May 2022, all businesses including shops are allowed to open at 6.00am in the mornings to 8.00pm in the evening from Mondays to Saturdays.
Sunday shopping are to open from 12.00 mid-day to 6.00pm.
Starting tomorrow morning, Wednesday 20 April 2022, all public servants are back again to normal working hours during the week.
Public transport returns to normal also including inter-island ferry travel.
Sale of alcohol is again allowed on normal working hours from 6.00am-8.00pm and so to are sports and other recreational activities including swimming at sea and in the rivers.
Public gatherings are allowed for maximum crowds of 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors.
Tight restrictions will continue, however, for schools which will continue to remain closed over the ensuing period.
The Prime Minister’s Ministry is expected to release a more detailed scheduling of opening and closing hours of business and working activities under the new SOE amendments.
PM Fiame confirmed the new changes following a meeting of her Cabinet today that agreed for Samoa to remain under COVID Alert Level 2 but with the new changes amended under the SOE.
Cabinet’s firm stance comes with the COVID 19 infection count breaking past the 6,000 positive carriers mark including the death count at 13 altogether as of this week, Monday 18 April 2022.
An average of close to 300 new COVID cases a day was confirmed in the last 7 days where a total of over 1,900 were tested positive.
The Prime Minister in her announcement today was mindful of the growing statistics but remained resolute in the resolve for Samoa to ‘live with COVID.’
“Even if there’s a rise in the number of infected, we need to be vigilant with public health measures,” she defied.