Two weeks ago, we received news that Alliance Staff had diagnosed positive for Covid-19.  It has been over a year and half since that happened, and my mind reeled, that Covid was still here in American Samoa. I immediately reviewed our policies and notified our Board.  Our policies require staff to work remotely for two weeks, and we all were to be tested.  Upon review, it is important to note CDC guidelines have changed.
CDC guidelines show as of May 11, 2023, the federal Covid-19 PHE ended.  This means CDC’s authorization to collect data will end. Vaccines continue to remain available, but certain covid-19 at home tests may not be covered by insurance, treatments will remain available, but national reporting of Covid-19 may change. Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19 have changed.  When you visit the CDC page you can find a tool that will help to determine if you need to isolate or take other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The information and what we had in our current Policies and Procedures needed to be changed.  CDC has provided instructions on isolation, and count days, whether you had symptoms or did not have symptoms.  You are reminded to isolate at least five (5) days, not the 14 days we use in our policies. There are also recommendations on what to do if you have no symptoms, and are fever free, as well as when to remove your mask.
It is imperative that we all stay current in our information.  As Covid-19 is still on our island, but and staying current can help us to get better sooner.
To learn more visit:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html

This article is funded through the Family Violence Prevention Services Administration American Response Program Treatment & Mitigation Grant. To read more press here. 

Written by:  PROVISION
Three years ago when the Covid-19 pandemic first afflicted the globe, no one thought it would impact the world as it has.  Scientists were scrambling to make a vaccine that would help save lives and once they accomplished that, boosters were next.  As people around the world would recover from this illness, it was unknown what was next.  Years later, people are still suffering from ongoing symptoms of Covid-19.  Post-acute conditions of COVID-19 (PASC), is also known as, “long Covid.”

Individuals that have Covid-19 normally get better in a few days to a few weeks after infection.  According to research, the virus can now infect various parts of the body and linger in the organs.  This idea may provide evidence about the persisting illness of “long Covid” and indicate why it can be a real problem for many, including the health-care system, for some time to come. 
An estimate of at least 65 million people are living with long-term Covid, and the numbers are rising every day.  It is often a debilitating illness that occurs in at least 10% of severe acute cases.  In August of 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services reported that “no laboratory test can definitively distinguish post-COVID conditions from other causes.”  However, long Covid or PASC can be defined as symptoms that linger or progress after the initial infection, lasting more than a few months.  Conditions can include, but are not limited to: trouble breathing, stubborn cough, tiredness, headaches, sleeping problems, anxiety, heart palpitations, cognitive dysfunction, stomach problems and other conditions that interfere with everyday activities.
We don’t know why people go through prolonged periods of Covid and research is still ongoing.  There are doctors and scientists who consider that the cause could simply be the body’s response to a new germ.

Common symptoms in children include pain in the muscles and joints, fatigue, difficulty sleeping or focusing, cough, and headaches.  Oftentimes, it can be difficult for young children to describe these symptoms.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to gather information, so there could still be other symptoms in younger groups. 

​If you think you or someone you know are dealing with long Covid, talk to a doctor immediately.  Currently, doctors have no medication or therapy for treatment, but they can give you the best advice on how to manage your symptoms.

Tusia: Judy Mata’utia
A tatou malamalama atili e faatatau i uiga o le taumulimuli le faatagaina, atonu o lea mafai ona maitauina ai nei uiga ae le’i faatupu teleina, ma atonu o lea mafai ai ona faia ni tulaga e ono puipuia mai ai tatou.  Afai e te silafia o lo’o taumulimuli se isi ia te oe- i le lautele, i luga o le upega tafailagi, po’o faia i nisi tulaga faatekonolosi – e mafai ona e maua i le faalogona le mautonu ma le lamatia.  E tatau ona faia ni la’asaga ma fuafuaga e puipuia ai oe po’o le a’apa atu i se isi e mafai ona fesoasoani ia te oe.
O lea le taumulimuli le faatagaina?O ni faiga faifaipea e le mana’omia, o ni faiga faalavelave po’o nisi lava faiga e faasaga i se tasi ina ia lagona ai le fefe.  E pei o soligatulafono e faatatau i sauaga  tau feusuaiga, e faapena le taumulimuli le faatagaina – e faatatau uma lava i le fiamalosi ma le fiapulea.  E eseese faauigaina o le tulafono o le taumulimuli le faatagaina i totonu o setete taitasi ma e faapena foi le tele o amioga eseese e maitauina ai le taumulimuli le faatagaina, e aofia ai:

• Tau faamatau se tasi, po’o sui o se aiga, po’o uo fo’i
• Feso’ota’iga e le’i malilie faatasi ai, e pei o le telefoni ma imeli faafia, ma meaalofa e le’o manaomia
• O le vavalalata faaletino ae faifai so’o, o le faatalitali mo se tasi e taunuu i se nofoaga, taumulimuli i se tasi, po’o le maitauina o se tagata mai se mea mamao
• Nisi gaioiga e faia e feso’ota’i, faalavelave, faafefe, po’o le tulituliloaina o se tasi

Faaaogaina o tekonolosi e taumulimuli le faatagaina ai. Se tasi o auala ua taumulimuli le faatagaina ai i latou e faia lea tulaga, ua faia lea e ala i le faaogaina o faiga faatekonolosi.  Atonu ua e faalogo i sauaga i luga o le upega tafailagi e faaogaina mo nei ituaiga feso’ota’iga.  O nisi ia o faiga faatekonolosi ua mafai ona taumulimuli le faatagaina ai i latou e faia lea amio:

• Faaauauina ma faifaipea feso’ota’iga le mana’omia e pei o le imeli faalausoso’o e tusa lava pe le’o tali atu i ai
• O le faia o faasalalauga tau faamata’u po’o le faailoa atu o faamatalaga e faatatau i se isi tagata i luga o vaega eseese o le upega tafailagi, e aunoa ma se faatagana
• O le tapu’eina o ata, po’o le faapipi’i o masini pu’e ata e matamata mai ai le o lo’o taumulimuli ma iloa mai mea o lo’o faia e le isi tagata, e aunoa ma se faatagana ma le iloa
• Faaogaina o polokalame ma masini e iloa ma maua ai se nofoaga o lo’o e iai, e aunoa ma lou silafia po’o se faatagana fo’i
• Faaogaina o se komepiuta a se isi tagata e siaki ai au gaioiga i luga o lau lava komepiuta, e aunoa ma sou iloa po’o se faatagana

​A’o faaauau pea le faatupulia o tekonolosi ma faamauamauga faakomepiuta, faapea foi le faaauau pea o avanoa e mafai ai e se tasi ona feso’ota’i ma oe i uiga ma faiga tau feusua’i e le’o mana’omia.  E le o nei amioga uma e taua o le taumulimuli le faatagaina, ae e mafai ona lagona ai le fefe o se tasi.  O nisi o uiga masani e lagona ona ua iloa o lo’o taumulimuli le faatagaina se isi ia te oe:

• E faaogaina le upu o le ‘fefe’ e faauigaina ai tulaga uma e faatatau i le iai o se tagata o lo’o ia taumulimuli le faatagaina ia te oe
• E mafai ona lagona le popole, popolevale, faaesea, po’o le amata ona iai faailoga o le atuatuvale ia te oe

O le a le mea e tatau ona faia pe afai o lo’o taumulimuli le faatagaina se isi ia te au? Afai e te manatu o lo’o taumulimuli le faatagaina se isi ia te oe, ia e iloa ua tatau ma onomea lou popole.  E mafai ona faatupulaia uiga faaletonu o le o lo’o taumulimuli le faatagaina ia te oe.  Manatunatu i nisi nei o mea e tatau ona faia e faatupulia ai lou saogalemu ma mafai ona ripoti atoatoa ai le solitulafono:

• Taumafai e alo ese mai le tagata o lo’o taumulimuli le faatagaina ia te oe.  Atonu e iai taimi e faigata ai, aemaise lava pea masani lelei le tagata lea ia te oe po’o lou aiga fo’i
• Afai o lo’o faia nei uiga le mana’omia i luga o le upega tafailagi, pei o imeli po’o feau tusitusia, ia faailoa manino i ai e te mana’o e taofi le faafeso’ota’i atu ia te oe.  O le taimi lava e te faamanino i ai lea tulaga, aua nei toe tali atu i nisi o feso’ota’iga
• Taofi so’o se faamaoniga e maua mai le tagata o lo’o taumulimuli le faatagaina ia te oe, e pei o imeli, feau tusitusia, afiafi, ma nisi mea, ae aua le tali i ai.  E mafai ona e tapu’eina ata o talanoaga po’o le lolomiina fo’i o imeli ma feau tusitusia mo faamaoniga o sau tagi
• Faailoa i aiga, uo, pule o lau galuega ma tagata o lo’o tou galulue faatasi le tulaga o lea tagata o lo’o taumulimuli le faatagaina ia te oe
• Manatunatu ma mafaufau ina ia ripotia le mataupu i le ofisa o leoleo
• Tausia sau api e faamaumau uma ai mea uma o lo’o tutupu e faatatau i le taumulimuli o se isi ia te oe.  Faamaumau lelei nofoaga, o taimi ma aso o se mea na tupu ma ia teu lelei lau api
• Ia faamasani i le faaogaina o komepiuta ma le saogalemu ma auala e puipuia ai ao luga o le upega tafailagi

 
Mo nisi faamatalaga e faatatau i le taumulimuli le faatagaina, faafeso’ota’i mai Le Mau i le (684)699-0272.

Written by: Tina Tofaeono
This is a time of year when loved ones travel far and wide to see each other and spend the holidays together.   The holiday season of 2022 got off to a bumpy start with RSV and Influenza numbers on the rise and COVID-19 still looming in the background.  The US is experiencing levels of RSV and influenza that are higher than usual, especially among children and COVID-19 continues to circulate across the United States.  

It’s important that we know the symptoms of each of these.  The flu and COVID-19 have very similar symptoms and it can be very difficult to tell them apart.  Some similar symptoms they share are: fever, chills, headaches, cough, muscle soreness, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, runny nose and sore throat.  One symptom that is unique to COVID-19 is the loss of taste or smell.  

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), is a respiratory infection that affects the lungs and breathing passages.  RSV symptoms are: runny nose, coughing, sneezing, fever, wheezing and a decrease in appetite.  Most people with RSV recover in a week or two, but it can be serious for infants and older adults.  

The one thing the three of these illnesses have in common is they are all contagious, so people should be vigilant with wearing a mask.  While nationwide mask mandates have expired, it’s still a good idea to have them on hand when you don’t feel well.  

If you’re not sure what you have, you can always take a flu or COVID test to rule those out.  Currently, the only test available for differentiating flu, COVID, and RSV at home is the Labcorp Pixel test, where users swab themselves at home and send the sample in for lab testing. However, this test has a turnaround time of one to two days and hardly competes with an at-home test that has results in 15-30 minutes. 

If you think you may have RSV, Influenza (flu), or COVID and you plan on being around loved ones, it might just be best to mask up and/or isolate yourself to protect the ones you love this holiday season.  It’s better to be safe than sorry.  

(o mea e 7 e mafai e so’o se alii po’o se tane ona faia)
Tusia: Judy Mata’utia
 
O le tele o alii latou te le faatiga, tau faamata’u pe sauaina o latou paaga.  Peita’i e iai foi alii latou te faia mea nei.  Ae e mafai e so’o se alii ona faia se mea e fesoasoani I le taofia o sauaga faalotoifale.  O mea nei e fitu e mafai ona e faia e maua ai ni suiga ma faaitiitia ai le tulaga o sauaga;

1.  Aoaoina ma ia tatou malamalama i tulaga tau i sauaga faalotoifale.

• O sauaga faalotoifale o le faaaogaina po’o le faia lea e se tasi o sauaga faaletino, faalelagona po’o sauaga faafeusuaiga e maua ai le malosi ma le pule na te pulea ai lana paaga vavalalata.
• O sauaga faalotoifale e mafai ona tupu i so’o se tasi, so’o se tausaga, itupa, tagata nuu ma so’o se isi lava.
• E mafai ona tupu i le va o tagata ua faaipoipo, o lo’o nonofo faatasi po’o latou foi o lo’o fefaauoa’i.
• O le tele o taimi ae le o taimi uma, o le alii e tele ona saua I lana paaga.
• O tamaiti o lo’o I totonu o aiga e iai sauaga faalotoifale, e ono faateleina le lamatia ma le aafia I sauaga o latou mafutaga I le lumanai. 

1. Talanoa ma au uo ma aiga.
   • Ae faalogo i tala e faatatau I sauaga faalotoifale I tala vaifanua, talafou, tala eseese, po o luga foi o le upega tafailagi, aua nei le amanaiaina.  Avea ma avanoa e aumai ai luga le mataupu e faatalanoaina ma isi tagata.
   • O se fefaasoaai e maua uma ai e tagata le avanoa e aoaoina ma malamalama ai I nisi tulaga ma iloa ai pe faapefea ona fesoasoani I le faaitiitia o sauaga faalotoifale.
2. Ia iloa o sauaga faalotoifale o se faafitauli a tagata uma.
   • E masani ona faapea tagata o sauaga faalotoifale o se mataupu e faalilolilo.
   • O I latou o lo’o aafia I sauaga faalotoifale e mafai ona lagonaina le fefe ma le maasiasi.  O nei faalogona e mafai ona taofia ai latou mai le aapa atu mo se fesoasoani o lo’o latou manaomia.
   • Afai e te le amanaiaina sauaga ma e faapea o le faafitauli a isi tagata, o lea avea ma tulaga e ono faaauauina ai pea sauaga.
3. Avea ma se faataitaiga lelei mo nisi o alii.
   • Ia faaali I taimi uma lou faaaloalo i au mafutaga ma isi ma faamalosia isi ina ia faia foi lea tulaga.
   • Faasoa atu I isi alii.  Fesoasoani ina ia latou malamalama, o sauaga o se filifiliga lea a le tagata pe na te faia pe leai.  E tele auala e mafai ai e le tagata ona gafa taulimaina lona ita, toatamai, ma nisi o tatou faalogona e aunoa ma le faatinoina o sauaga.
4. Ia silafia faailoga vaaia.
   • O se tagata o lo o sauaina atonu –
     1.  e popole pea talanoa mai i lana paaga
     2. e leiloa le mafuaaga o manuaga o le tino
     3. e alofia mai i tagata
     4. na te fai alofaga mo amioga a lana paaga
     5. e vaaia e faanoanoa pe fefe

• O se tagata e saua atonu –
  1. e faamaasiasiina pe faitioina lana paaga
  2. e faatonuina le paaga I le mea e fai pe mafaufau I ai
  3. tuuaia se paaga mo faafitauli
  4. vave ona ita
  5. faaalia le fua po’o le le talitonuina
  6. faamanuaina faaletino se paaga
  7. le faatagaina ona vaaia e lana paaga ana uo po o aiga

1. Afai e te vaaia ni sauaga, ia fai atu iai se tala.
   • Atonu e faigata ona talanoa atu I se isi alii e uiga I ana amioga saua, peitai o le talanoa ma faailoa o se laasaga muamua lea agai atu i ni suiga.
   • Vaai se taimi paganoa e mafai ona talanoa ai
   • E mafai ona faapea atu ‘ou te popole I mea o lo o ou vaaia. O lea le mea o lo o tupu?’
   • Faailoa atu I le tagata saua, o lo o mafai ona maua le fesoasoani na te taofia ai lona saua.  E mafai ona faapea atu ‘ua e faataitai ona e talanoa I se faufautua? E mafai ona fesoasoani.’ Pe faapea atu foi ‘afai e te lagona ua le mafai lava ona e pulea oe, valaau mai ia te au.’
2. Avea oe ma se alii e aapa atu.
   • Afai e te masalomia se isi o sauaina, aapa atu I ai.  Faailoa atu I ai e leo tuulafoaiina ia.
   • Fesiligia po o lea se mea e mafai ona e faia e fesoasoani atu ai.
   • Afai o lamatia se soifua o se tagata, valaau I le 911.

 
Mo nisi faamatalaga atili e faatatau I auala e fesoasoani atu ai I le faaitiitia aemaise o le taofia o sauaga faalotoifale, faafesootai mai LE MAU A AMERIKA SAMOA E TETEE ATU I SAUAGA FAALOTOIFALE MA SAUAGA 

Written by: Luana Yoshikawa-Scanlan, MBA PRIME
Fetu was very scared of the COVID-19 virus. He heard that people who smoke, are overweight, have diabetes and heart disease suffered greatly from the illness. He knew he was not the healthiest person, even if he rarely went to the doctor when sick.  So, Fetu followed all the recommendations made by the Department of Health: washed his hands all the time, sanitized his hands when there was no water, wore a mask, and avoided gatherings.  When COVID started to spread in his village Fetu became very anxious.  He kept his wife and children at home.  They only left to work and to shop.  The day he tested positive for COVID, Fetu felt helpless and fearful.  Although the doctors gave him medicine and assured him that he would be okay, Fetu was scared. 
Fetu and his family were lucky. They all recovered from COVID within two weeks without having to be hospitalized.  But the effects of the virus lingered and impacted Fetu’s ability to work in the plantation like he used to.  He tired quickly, sometimes felt his focus drift off and his mind felt cloudy.  His wife often couldn’t smell or taste things.  His children were more resilient, but even they experienced fatigue and felt out of breath after normal physical activities.  The worst impact was a persistent cough that would start unexpectedly.
Researchers are now finding that coughing, fatigue, difficulty focusing, can last for months after testing negative.  These long-term effects are called post-COVID syndrome or long COVID.
An estimated one-third of COVID-19 survivors report experiencing a post-infection cough.  It is one of the most common symptoms caused by the viral congestion in the lungs and airways. Chest pressure or heaviness in the chest may also be experienced.  COVID infects the cells that line the mucous membranes in the lungs. These membranes produce phlegm that traps irritants in the airways, resulting in a scratchy feeling in the throat leading to a ‘wet’ cough. However, 50%-70% of COVID survivors report having a dry cough (American Lung Assoc, 7/14/21). 
In severe COVID-19 cases, the infected person may develop pneumonia which causes swelling and fluid build-up in the lungs. While most people recover from pneumonia without any lasting damage, pneumonia resulting from COVID-19 can be critical. Even after the disease has passed, lung injury may result in breathing difficulties experienced for months later, as Fetu did.  The chronic coughing and chest congestion put him at a higher risk for developing pneumonia in the future.
Researchers have identified three main factors that affect lung damage risk in COVID-19 infections (Woo-Jung, et al., 2021):
Disease severity — whether the person has a mild or a severe case of COVID.
Pre-existing health conditions – older people, those with weak immune systems, diabetics, people who are obese, people with heart disease and/or lung disease.
Treatment – the kind of care and timeliness of that care can minimize the impact of COVID in the future.  In 2021, the CDC recommended antiviral treatment to prevent severe illness, especially for those over 50 and those with pre-existing conditions.  Monoclonal antibodies were also approved to help the body identify the virus and respond quickly with antibodies. Treatment should start within days of the first symptoms to be effective.
According to the American Lung Association, recovering from lung damage takes time - scarring in the lungs may take three to twelve months to heal. While life has returned to normal, Fetu still feels a heaviness in his chest and deals with a chronic dry cough.  He drinks a lot of water nowadays, and watches what he eats.  COVID made him more aware of the value of his health – a positive side effect of his struggle to fully heal from the virus.
Woo-Jung Song, Christopher K M Hui, James H Hull, Surinder S Birring, Lorcan McGarvey, Stuart B Mazzone, Kian Fan Chung (2021). Confronting COVID-19-associated cough and the post-COVID syndrome: role of viral neurotropism, neuroinflammation, and neuroimmune responses. Lancet Respir Med., 9: 533–44.
Photo: Pacific Community Response. Dr. Paulo Vivili, SPC Public Health Director on COVID-19 retrieved:  ​https://www.spc.int/updates/blog/2022/09/covid-19-pacific-community-updates#Response