PM says Gov considers house-to-house testing campaign by health teams

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The Samoa Government is considering a house-to-house testing campaign by health teams with the assistance of the Village Councils.

This is to avoid the public from crowding up the testing sites as its evident since the first recorded positive Community case that surfaced last week, resulted in hundreds of people lining up at the testing and vaccination sites, and exposing themselves to the virus.

Savali reported that Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa said Cabinet have received health findings shows that a substantial number of residents have deliberately taken not one but up to five separate tests in different locations contributing to crowding conditions disregarding the two meter social distance protocol.

She told the Government owned media that 240,000 test kits were donated by the New Zealand Government.

The Prime Minister is advising the public not to take for granted the kind and generous humanitarian assistance by the Samoa’s development partners which donated the rapid test kits.

As of this morning the confirmed community cases reached 745 and the latest data issued several hours ago from the National Emergency Operations Committee stated that a total number of 14,433 Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) have been administered as of 24 March 2022.

The data by age group shows that people ranging from 15 to 39 years old record the highest percentage of positive cases. 

Prime Minister said that despite the rising numbers it’s not with holding Cabinet from looking at options in bids to contain the community transmission, according to Savali Reports. 

She said they have been assured the Rapid Tests are designed for people who have shown symptom, (sore throat etc.) and the test should be administered when these symptoms shows up. Fiame hopes the public will take note especially taking into account the high probability that some of the new cases may have been exposed to residents from people who have turned up for tests with incomplete vaccinations or have not had their vaccines.

Prime Minister said the high coverage of residents who have completed their COVID19 vaccination cycle more than 80 percent of the eligible population complemented by higher percentage of resident with one more dose does not warrant a mass vaccination drive.

SOURCE: Government Media