The ASG quarantine facility at the airport hangar is to be turned over to the Department of Health.
Director of Health Motusa Tuileama Nua explained during the DOH budget hearing, yesterday, that although quarantine for passengers who test positive for COVID has been discontinued, in some cases, the travelers who test positive opt to quarantine at the facility or their families prefer it this way.
DOH also intends to use the facility as a quarantine site for cases of new diseases such as monkeypox.
Motusa told lawmakers that with the earthquake swarms in Manu’a, if there is a volcanic eruption, the hangar site can be used to accommodate evacuees who don’t have family on Tutuila.
“We can also accommodate people from Manu’a, if they need a place to stay when they travel here,” said the director, adding that elderly residents may also use the facility.
The hangar facility would also accommodate guests of the government from off-island, including from Samoa, said Motusa.
Opened this past February, the facility was built with funds for education from the American Rescue Plan Act.
A press release from the Governor’s Office when the building was opened called it the Community and Student Learning Center whose purpose is “to serve as a safe and nurturing quarantine environment for students to participate in enriching activities during a school wide pandemic spread, minimizing learning loss.”
The building has 36 self contained rooms and has a conference room, nurse station, laundry room, kitchen and dining area.
