Vaccinations teams prepare for two-day shutdown

By Adel Fruean 23 September 2021, 10:00AM

As Samoa prepares for its two-day national COVID-19 mass vaccination, some of the teams spearheading the campaign arrived in Savaii on Wednesday.

The purpose of the two-day mass campaign on Thursday and Friday is to boost coverage so we can achieve a 99 per cent vaccinated population, to protect our families, communities and country.

The Ministry of Health vaccination teams left Upolu for Savaii just before the Samoa Shipping Corporation Limited were to cease its scheduled trips for Thursday and Friday.  


Before the teams departed for Savaii, there was a meeting held at the Health Ministry’s National Hospital which saw more than 50 people attend. 

According to the Director General of Health, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri, a total of 150 teams are spearheading the vaccination campaign. Of this total around 43 close to 45 teams will be in Savaii Island while 80 close to 90 teams will be in Upolu Island.

The teams will be working closely with the Communities to implement this Campaign through the support and guidance of the District Hospitals and the Government Village Women and Men Representatives to ensure that every eligible household gets vaccinated. 

The vaccination teams will be allocated in every village and will go directly to the residences. 


All members of the public are advised to remain at home including those who are staying at hotels during the vaccination so that the teams can conduct their work in checking vaccination status and administering vaccines to those eligible.   

The National Controller of the National Emergency Operation Centre, Agafili Shem Leo said that in the hope of achieving herd immunity for Samoa, and in our collective efforts to fortify our national response to the unprecedented impacts of the COVID-19, the Government together with its partners will undertake a ‘Mass Vaccination Campaign.’ The campaign will be on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 September, 2021 from 8am to 6pm throughout the whole country.

“The public is hereby advised that all government and private sector services will be closed from 8am to 6pm except for the following essential services.  

“This is to ensure that the people remain at home to await the vaccination teams that will be mobilized around the country.

“All roads will be closed to the traveling public except for authorized vehicles. We implore the public’s support to help the vaccination teams to identify the individuals and families who have not been vaccinated, by tying a piece of red cloth or a red flag in front of their residences.

“The essential services include: National and District Hospitals; Ministry of Police, Prisons and Correctional Services; Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority; Samoa Airport Authority; Samoa Water Authority; Electric Power Corporation; International wharf, Matautu.

“We pray fervently that our Lord Jesus Christ will continue to guide and protect Samoa from the fury of this virus.” 


By Adel Fruean 23 September 2021, 10:00AM
Samoa Observer

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