Pacific: Kiribati and Samoa announce new curfews; other territories maintaining most COVID-19-related restrictions as of Jan. 22 /update 64

Event

Countries and territories in the South Pacific region are adjusting domestic and international restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As of Jan. 22, planned or active controls include:

• American Samoa: A state of emergency remains in effect through at least Feb. 6. Authorities are maintaining a Code Blue risk level, the lowest on a three-tiered scale. There are no restrictions on public gatherings, business operations, and public transport. Officials continue to ban entry for most travelers; however, Guest Worker permit are being issued for employees in specified industries. Prospective travelers must contact health staff for entry permission; authorities require inbound passengers to be fully vaccinated. All arrivals other than medical workers and fully vaccinated travelers must quarantine for 15 days. Officials also require vaccination for residents departing the territory. Authorities continue to suspend commercial passenger flights, though repatriation and other specially approved flights are occurring. Cargo flights are operating normally.

• Federated States of Micronesia: Authorities have declared a Public Health Emergency through at least Jan. 31. The government continues to ban all inbound flights, except for cargo deliveries and repatriation. However, temporary suspensions of repatriation have occurred at short notice. Those entering the country via repatriation flights must quarantine for at least seven days after arrival. Inbound commercial vessels must follow social distancing protocols and quarantine rules.

• Guam: An extended public health emergency remains in place through at least Jan. 30, and the government is implementing Pandemic Condition of Readiness Level 3 (PCOR-3). Gatherings can occur for up to 25 people indoors and 100 people outside. Authorities permit all businesses and services to operate at full capacity, but staff members at most designated high-risk businesses, including hospitality, fitness, and entertainment venues, must be fully vaccinated. Bars and restaurants can now permit unvaccinated patrons in outdoor seating areas only; officials still require proof of complete vaccination for indoor service. Officials mandate facemasks for all businesses and indoor and outdoor gatherings. All companies must maintain customer information for contact-tracing purposes. Only foreign nationals fully vaccinated with Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca/Covishield, Sinopharm, and Sinovac can enter the territory. Exceptions are possible for people under 18 years old; individuals with medical, humanitarian, or emergency exceptions; people with valid visas departing countries with limited vaccine availability, and foreign government officials. All travelers must present a negative result from a COVID-19 PCR test or antigen test; vaccinated arrivals must take tests within 72 hours of departure, while unvaccinated travelers must take tests 24 hours before departure. Inbound travelers must take tests 24 hours or less before departure. Alternatively, travelers can present proof of having recovered from COVID-19 within the previous 90 days. The government requires unvaccinated arrivals to quarantine at a government facility for 10 days. However, fully vaccinated travelers or arrivals with a negative PCR or antigen test result taken within 24 hours before departure are exempt from quarantine.

• Kiribati: Strict curbs continue in South Tarawa, Betio, and Buota; a nightly 22:00-05:00 curfew, and a facemask mandate in all public places, including on public transport are in place. A 24-hour curfew will replace the ongoing nightly curfew in South Tarawa and Betio Jan. 24-27; additional rules include the closure of entertainment venues such as pubs, kava bars, and nightclubs, as well as a ban on social gatherings. The ongoing nightly curfew and a gathering limit of 10 people will continue in Buota until further notice. People must remain at home during curfew hours. Officials are allowing nonessential businesses and services to operate in other areas. The government has reopened the border to international travelers; arrivals must enter through ports in South Tarawa, as all other international ports of entry are still closed. All entrants must provide proof of vaccination and a COVID-19 test result obtained within 48 hours before departure. Passengers from COVID-19 free locations must quarantine for seven days upon arrival. Extended quarantine of 14 days is required for arrivals from high-risk locations. All entrants must undergo a COVID-19 test upon arrival. Authorities allow cargo and humanitarian flights. Officials prohibit unvaccinated people from traveling to the outer islands as well as South Tarawa and Betio.

• Marshall Islands: Most inbound international travelers remain banned until further notice. Individuals wishing to enter the Marshall Islands must receive permission from authorities in advance. Travel between Kwajalein and Majuro remains limited to Air Marshall Islands (CW). The government has suspended nonessential outbound air travel until further notice; departing citizens must request a government exemption. Some US military personnel have entered with a three-week quarantine period. Authorities require all entrants to quarantine for 21 days. Entry for fishing vessels from countries or territories with COVID-19 activity, cruise ships, and private ships remains suspended. Cargo shipments are allowed, but ships must remain at sea for 14 days before entry.

• Nauru: Officials are allowing some essential international travel. Inbound passengers must spend 14 days in a designated safe country before entry; the designated countries include Taiwan and most Pacific countries. Arrivals must wear protective face coverings on inbound flights, complete a health declaration form, undergo checks for COVID-19 symptoms upon landing, and quarantine for at least five days at a designated residence under health observation before release. Aircrew members, medical workers, and transit passengers are exempt from the requirements. The government requires all commercial maritime crew to remain at sea for 14 days and provide documentation 12 hours before arrival; authorities will conduct COVID-19 tests onboard vessels; ships can only enter the port after test results become available. Air cargo operations are ongoing with quarantine measures for the crew.

• Niue: Most foreign nationals remain banned from entry; however, exceptions are in place for the children, spouses, and other dependents of Niue residents, as well as for diplomats and essential workers. Nonresident essential workers require government approval before entry. Foreign nationals must quarantine in New Zealand for two weeks before travel. Officials are allowing flights from Auckland, New Zealand, once every week or once every two weeks for repatriation and essential personnel; arrivals must quarantine for 14 days. Authorities continue to extend tourist visas for stranded foreign nationals at no cost.

• Northern Mariana Islands: A state of public health emergency order remains in effect. The government is maintaining the Community Vulnerability Level at Green - the lowest level. Gatherings of over 150 people remain limited, and authorities continue to require facemasks in many public indoor venues. Occupancy at indoor venues is limited to 50 percent unless patrons are fully vaccinated. A 00:01-04:00 curfew is in place. Travelers, except US citizens and permanent residents, from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi are banned until Dec. 31. Only foreign nationals fully vaccinated with Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca/Covishield, Sinopharm, and Sinovac can enter the territory. Exceptions are possible for people under 18 years old; individuals with medical, humanitarian, or emergency exceptions; people with valid visas departing countries with limited vaccine availability; and foreign government officials. All arrivals must present a negative result from a COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken with 24 hours of departure. Alternatively, travelers can present proof of having recovered from COVID-19 within the previous 90 days. Fully vaccinated arrivals must get tested on arrival and self-quarantine until receiving a negative result. Fully vaccinated inbound travelers can stay in a verified fully vaccinated household; all household members must get tested for passenger trips that last fewer than five days. Fully vaccinated passengers in unvaccinated households must continue to quarantine in a government-designated facility for five days, with release after a negative test result. Unvaccinated entrants that provided a negative COVID-19 test result upon arrival must quarantine at a government-designated facility for seven days and take a COVID-19 test on day 5.

• Palau: Officials require individuals 12 years old and above to be fully vaccinated to enter the country. Inbound travelers three years old and above must present a negative result from a PCR test taken within 72 hours or a rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours of departure. Travelers can also show proof of recent recovery from COVID-19 and medical clearance for travel. Inbound passengers must undergo testing on arrival and day 4 after entry. Officials will also issue mitigation orders to travelers upon entry. Officials may issue quarantine orders for 14 days for people exposed to confirmed COVID-19 cases; authorities could quarantine other individuals for less time if present at exposure sites only. The government requires facemasks in all indoor public areas and outdoor gatherings of 20 or more people. Violators will face fines and/or imprisonment.

• Samoa: All nonessential movement and activity are banned 18:00 Jan. 22-18:00 Jan. 24 under a Level 3 alert due to detection of COVID-19 cases among quarantined international arrivals. All residents must stay home unless seeking or providing essential or emergency services. A state of emergency remains in effect until at least Feb. 13. Authorities require all inbound arrivals over the age of 17 to be fully vaccinated. Arrivals must provide a medical clearance obtained within 72 hours of initial departure and a COVID-19 antibody test taken within seven days of initial departure. Officials will require individuals to quarantine for at least 14 days after arrival. However, fully vaccinated arrivals from American Samoa do not have to quarantine. Most foreign nationals and international flights remain banned until further notice; some repatriation flights may occur with government approval. Officials will approve inbound travel on a case-by-case basis; authorities previously barred residents with a positive COVID-19 test result within six months of arrival from entry.

• Solomon Islands: Most international commercial flights remain banned through July 2, though Solomon Airlines (IE) operates a weekly service to Brisbane, Australia. Additional repatriation flights are possible. Fully vaccinated citizens and foreign nationals can enter the country, though foreigners must obtain permission from the prime minister's office. Entrants must complete a Pre-Departure Questionnaire and Instructions on Conduct at least five days before departure flights. Officials also require a Pre-Departure Checklist submitted one day before departure. Permitted travelers must take COVID-19 PCR tests 9-11 days and within 72 hours before departure. Officials also require inbound passengers to receive a negative rapid antigen test result on the day of departure. Travelers must quarantine 7-14 days at designated sites upon arrival at their own expense; the duration of quarantine depends on official risk assessments. People traveling with unvaccinated children must quarantine for 21 days. Officials have lifted most transport and business controls domestically. Casinos, pubs, kava bars, and nightclubs must follow social distancing guidelines. The government maintains a heightened security presence in border areas with Papua New Guinea's Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

• Tuvalu: Inbound travelers are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine before entering the country.

• Vanuatu: Officials have extended the state of emergency through at least Jan. 31. Domestic transport services have resumed. Inbound commercial international flights and cruise ships remain banned, though international cargo flights continue. Authorities are prohibiting nonresidents from entering the country. Officials have resumed repatriation flights, but citizens from designated high-risk countries are not allowed to enter until further notice. Travelers from low- and medium-risk locations can enter the country with a COVID-19 test conducted within 72 hours of departure. Officials require arriving passengers to quarantine for 28 days.

Countries and territories will likely continue to adjust their response in the coming days and weeks, depending on COVID-19 activity within their borders and neighboring countries.

Advice

Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Reconfirm all travel arrangements. Consider delaying traveling if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Reconsider and reconfirm nonemergency health appointments.

Resources

World Health Organization (WHO)