August 2022

On Friday, August 12, 2022, Governor Oliver met with the U.S. Embassy’s Charge d’affaires, Alissa M. Bibb, and Dr. Thane Hancock from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guam Office.  This is Dr. Hancock’s second visit to Pohnpei in the last two years.  He has been working with Department of Health Services personnel, observing Pohnpei’s COVID-19 response efforts, and delivered a presentation on Pohnpei’s COVID-19 response efforts to Governor Oliver, Director of the Department of Health Services, Mr. Wincener David, Chief of Staff Kapilly Capelle, and Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Peteriko Hairens.  Alissa Bibb is the Charge D’Affaires at U.S. Embassy Kolonia and met with Governor Oliver during the meeting for the first time. Governor Oliver welcomed her and conveyed his appreciation to her and the US Government for their continued support with experts like Dr. Hancock and others, donations of supplies, vaccinations, therapeutics, and equipment that have helped Pohnpei’s COVID-19 response efforts in the last two years.   Dr. Hancock noted that Pohnpei experienced the Omicron BA.5 variant of COVID-19 with high numbers of infections spreading rapidly, with mild to moderate symptoms.  Dr. Hancock went on to say that while re-infections are likely to occur with a new strain or new virus, he believed that the recent, first surge of infections would likely be the worst surge of infections for Pohnpei.  Dr. Hancock noted that Pohnpei is in a great position due to the number of vaccinated people (over 75%) and our recent exposure to COVID-19 with numbers of new infections dropping every day.  He commended the health workers, front liners, and all who were involved in Pohnpei’s COVID-19 response.   Also joining Charge d’ Affaires Bibb was U.S. Navy CDR. Thomas Price, US Embassy Defense Attache’, Kyle Papish, Assistant Defense Attache’, LCDR Wes Saavedra from Joint Region Marianas and  Mr. Roger Gardner, USAID Country Program Manager.   

Pakair ong weipokon en Pohnpei August 3, 2022 Pakair wet wiawidahr pwehn sekerehki tohn weipokon en Pohnpei me pwehki doupeseng en kepinsalehd COVID-19 eh wie lalaudla nan Pohnpei rahnpwukat oh irail toahkte oh semen kan en pali en roson mwahu arail kadehdedahr me doupeseng en kepinsalehd wet pahn kak reirei ki wihk pahieu (4) lel wihk waluh (8) sang ni rahn me e tepida, ah ohpis en Kepina, ohpis en Director en Kepahn Kamarain, oh weliepen COVID-19 Emergency Task Force en Pohnpei kan patohiengehr nan wie lamalam ehu ni August 02, 2022 oh koasonehdier me tepidahn skuhl ong nan pahr en skuhl 2022-2023 pahn kapwandala sang August 10, 2022 ong ni dahme pahn sansal pah: Irail pwihn laud kan (Seniors) en nan public high schools kan pahn tepida school ni September 5, 2022. Irail pwihn tikitik kan sang pwihn keisek ehu (Juniors) patohdi lel pwihn kaiahn (ECE) pahn tepida ni September 13, 2022. Kapwandala en rahn en tepidahn school me sansalehr powe poasondahsang pohn pepehm oh madamadau me doupeseng en kepinsalehd COVID-19 udahn pahn anahne tikitikla de uhdi mwohn skuhl ah pahn pwurehng tepida. Pil sang ni madamadau ohte, kapwandala wet pahn pil patowanehng irail tohn doadoahk oh tohn school kan koaros me saikinte iang ketki de patohwan dok en silasil en COVID-19, sapwelimarail de arail tungoal ansou mwahu pwe irail en kak iang dok en silasil oh kaunop mwohn tepida en skuhl en par wet. English translation: This announcement is made to inform the general public that due to the continuing increase in the COVID-19 infections in Pohnpei and advice from doctors and experts in the area of public health that the infection surge will last up to 4 or 8 weeks from its initial stage, a decision was made by the Governor’s Office, Office of the Director of the Department of Education, and the Pohnpei State COVID-19 Emergency Task Force during an August 2, 2022 meeting that opening date for the school year 2022-2023 will be delayed from August 10, 2022, to the following dates: All 12th-grade students in the public high schools will start school on September 5, 2022. 2. All lower graders starting from 11th grade down to Kindergarten (ECE) will start school on September 13, 2022. The above-stated change is based on a consensus belief and agreement that more time is needed to allow the infection surge to reach its peak and begin to slow or drop before school can start. Additionally, the delay on the starting date should provide ample time for teachers, students, and staff who have not gotten their vaccine shots to get vaccinated and ready to start school and work with everyone else on the dates specified above. Should there be questions or concerns regarding anything in this announcement, please feel free to call telephone number 320-2104. Stanley S. Etse Director, Pohnpei State Department of Education