Task Force steps up vaccination drive

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At the Covid-19 Task Force meeting Monday the Department of Health presented grim updates on the status of COVID globally with over 188 million cases and 4 million deaths to date.

In the Pacific region, the top 3 countries with reported cases are Fiji, French Polynesia, and Guam. Fiji has reported a total of 3,628 new cases and 24 deaths.

DOH epidemiologists cited this data to drive home the importance of vaccination. In Pacific island locations like Fiji, vaccination rates are as low as 10%. Guam however has a much higher vaccination rate and reported only 4 new cases and zero deaths in the past 72 hours.

As of July 19, 2021, 50.5% of American Samoas population are fully Covid vaccinated while 57% have received one dose.

With the push to have American Samoa’s fully vaccinated population at 80%, more outreach in the villages are being reviewed with COVID Task Force members discussing joining health officials in a door to door vaccination campaign.

This Saturday, July 24th, is the final Covid outreach clinic with several sites across the territory.

  • Amouli Community Health Center,
  • Utulei Su’igaula Fale Samoa,
  • DYWA Tafuna Gym,
  • Pavaia’i LDS Chapel
  • Leone Catholic Church Hall.

The vaccination village map data shows that some villages in the farther east and west have vaccination rates below 50% and the door to door vaccination campaign will target these villages first.