The Government is ramping up its monitoring of all points of entry into Samoa with the addition of more requirements for travellers in a bid to keep coronavirus (COVID-19) at bay.

The Ministry of Health (M.O.H.), in a travel advisory issued late Saturday evening (local time), said due to the spread of the COVID-19 and the recent declaration by the World Health Organisation (W.H.O.) of a global pandemic, they will now have to scale up their efforts as the risks to Samoa is now “very high”.

As part of the new measures, effective immediately all travellers (including returning residents) to Samoa are required to undergo medical examination by a registered medical practitioner, within three days before arriving in Samoa.

A medical clearance report is now mandatory for check-in before a passing pass is issued.

Airline and sea vessel crew are also required to get renewed medical reports 14 days after their last medical check. 

Samoan passport holders who are permanent residents of American Samoa are also required to undergo medical examination within three days before entering Samoa, with a physician and the American Samoa Director of Public Health, Motusa Tuileama Nua to countersign the medical report.  

Samoan nationals and permanent residents returning to American Samoa are now required to undergo medical examination within three days before entering with proof of the MMR/MR vaccination.

“In the event your travel is less than 3 days; medical examination issued in Samoa will suffice for your return.”

For countries that have already had reported cases including deaths from COVID-19, travellers from the 33 nations will now have to provide proof of coronavirus test results done within five days, states the latest M.O.H. travel advisory.

According to the M.O.H., all travellers who test positive to COVID-19 will now be denied entry into Samoa, and all travellers originating from the 33 states are now required to self quarantine themselves for 14 days at the country of last port, and should have in their possession a medical clearance certificate within three days of arriving in Samoa. 

“In the event you arrive and have not satisfied the above three requirements, you will be returned to the country of last port, before arrival into Samoa,” states the M.O.H. travel advisory.

Charter flights as well as cruise ships who plan to visit Samoa will be refused entry until further notice and all sea port entries will be screened at the quarantine buoy before the vessel is allowed to dock. 

The 33 countries that travellers originate from or transit through include: China; Hong Kong; Macau; Japan; Singapore; Thailand; South Korea; Italy; Iran; Kuwait; Taiwan; Germany; Spain; France; Bahrain; Australia; Belgium; Canada; Malaysia; Denmark; Chechia Republic; Greece; Iceland; Luxembourg; Netherlands; Norway; Qatar; Sweden; Switzerland; United States of America; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; and Australia.