Health authorities have dismissed reports that some of the special skilled and technical workers being brought from Samoa are not being quarantined.
Everyone who came on the flights are in quarantine at the DOH Alternate Care facilities in Tafuna said two senior DOH officials speaking on condition of anonymity.
Only Talofa Airways has been operating flights to bring the special group of workers and as of yesterday the tally of passengers was 26.
Some of the travelers were citizens of the Philippines which according to the DOH officials were employed by a local construction company but had been stuck in Samoa.
The sources said there were no travelers from outside of Samoa according to the travel histories of the passengers that they reviewed.
Everyone had been in Samoa for the past several months, they told KHJ News.
The officials said any reports that some of the travelers were not taken in for quarantine are false.
All were given COVID-19 tests upon arrival and all were negative.
All were taken to the DOH Alternate Care Facilities behind the Tafuna Community Health Center to be quarantined, for 14 days and there were no exceptions, assured the officials.
The new quarantine facilities can take up to 40 people and if there’s an overflow DOH plans to us the DYWA Center.
Talofa Airways’ last flight for the special skilled workers is tomorrow according to an airline official.
Cargo on the inbound flights from Samoa have been banned but the return flights are still allowed to carry cargo.
Samoa Airways did not have any flights from Samoa last week and this week.
