Over $20 million in Covid-19 quarantine costs in 2 years

By Talaia Mika

APIA, SAMOA – 12 JANUARY 2022: After two years of a successful quarantine process by the National Emergency Operations Center to keep Samoa free of the covid-19 virus, the financial cost to the country has been revealed at over $20 million tala since March 2020.

“That include the costs of the rooms, security, transportation and other additional costs necessary for the quarantine process which is really expensive,” explained the NEOC Chairman, Agafili Shem Leo.

Passengers to pay
However, for passengers coming into the country this year, it is now proposed that they have to pay for their own quarantine costs which stands between ST$3,000 and ST$5,000.

According to Agafili, this new proposal excludes patients who travel overseas for medical treatment and returning scholarship students.

One of the many  Covid-19 quarantine sites

This new measure was proposed as there are people who have been travelling back and forth despite the tight lockdown conditions.

“We have been seeing names of people coming and going under the excuse for medical treatment and so forth and we had been bearing with this in the last two years,” Agafili said.

“Quarantine is very expensive and this is becoming unsustainable so we may begin this year for travellers to pay for their own quarantine costs which is around $5,000 tala.”