State of emergency extended

By Joyetter Feagaimaali'i 14 December 2019, 5:14PM

The Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi, has announced the national state of emergency will not be lifted until December 29.

The state of emergency was originally proclaimed in mid-November and had been believed to expire next week, 30 days after its initial proclamation. 

The decision to extend the special conditions, Tuilaepa said, is based on the National Emergency Operations Centre Chairman Ulu Bismark Crawley and the need for immunisation programmes to continue for public safety.

"We need to reach the 100 percent vaccination for the country and so far we have reached 92 per cent of vaccination," Tuilaepa said.

"To date 579 children under 18 years have not been vaccinated and hence the need to continue the S.O.E."

State of emergency conditions include bans on public gatherings and children aged under 19 from congregating in public places. 

Early last week the Prime Minister had suggested the state of emergency was likely to be lifted on December 16 after noting the general feeling was the measles epidemic is slowly “calming down”.  

By Joyetter Feagaimaali'i 14 December 2019, 5:14PM

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