Starting next week COVID-19 tests for arriving travelers discontinued

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Among the recommendations made by the Health Department at Tuesday afternoon’s COVID-19 Task Force briefing is to “discontinue COVID-19 testing” of travelers upon arrival at Pago Pago International Airport effective Sept. 19.

This is according to DoH’s presentation.

DoH said the thermal camera at airport will be used for temperature monitoring of arrival travelers and that the TALOFAPass — the ASG websystem that monitors entry into the territory — registration list will be cross checked with arrival passengers.

Another recommendation by DoH is to “continue the COVID-19 vaccination mandate” in which travelers — 5 years and older — must be fully vaccinated as an entry requirement.

Being fully vaccinated is one of the requirements for entry into American Samoa under the governor’s current COVID-19 Emergency Declaration, which also states that exceptions may be granted for medical conditions or a sincerely held religious beliefs. 

A request for vaccination exemption must be received at least 10-days before travel. To request a form for vaccine exemption, contact the Governor’s Office at — [email protected] — or call (684) 633-4121.

COVID CASES UPDATE

The DoH report also provides the latest update on the community spread of COVID-19 for the week of Sept. 05 to Sept. 11, in which 18 new positive cases were recorded from the 1,047 individuals tested.

A footnote in the report states that total number of individuals tested and the overall positive cases for this period, is the “unconfirmed count”, as DoH is awaiting the LBJ Medical Center COVID-19 Situation Report for Sept. 08 to Sep. 11.

With the 18 new positives, total cumulative COVID-19 count stands at 8,235 since the first community case was recorded on Feb. 28, while there are 22 active cases — which are all on Tutuila island with no active cases in the Manu’a island group. The DoH also reports that COVID-19 related deaths remains at 34.

The DoH report also provided a summary of the Hawaiian Airlines fight from Honolulu on Sept. 12 only — but none for the flight last week Thursday — Sept. 08

According to DoH, the TALOFAPass websystem registered 301 passengers while the Hawaiian Airlines passenger manifest shows 282 travelers, which includes five lap-children (children under the age of two sitting on a parent/travelers lap)

All 282 travelers were tested for COVID upon arrival at Pago Pago International Airport and the results returned negative for all of them.

Also, the DoH report no longer provides information on flights from Samoa and none for DoH operations at the Port of Pago Pago for incoming vessels.