PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services) — The government of the Federated States of Micronesia, through its Covid-19 Task Force, has amended its standard operating procedures for repatriation into the FSM, and confirmed dates for the next repatriation flights.
There are three changes to the repatriation procedures. The first change is that any person who is eligible to receive a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine is required to obtain it prior to repatriating into the FSM. Additionally, as pediatric and adolescent vaccines are available for children aged five and up, all persons aged five and above are mandated to be fully vaccinated prior to repatriating into the FSM.
The second and third changes to the repatriation procedures are with regards to pre-quarantine in the U.S. Territory of Guam. The duration of pre-quarantine has been amended from 10 days to seven days. A single test for Covid-19 will occur on either the fifth or sixth day of pre- quarantine, approximately 48 hours prior to travel.
Additionally, persons will need to demonstrate proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to entry into the pre-quarantine site. Combined, this means persons will undergo two separate Covid-19 tests: one before, and one during, their pre-quarantine experience.
It is the intention of the FSM national government that a practical effect of these amendments is that repatriation activities will be able to continue more frequently, while also helping to keep the FSM safe from Covid-19.
With the highly infectious Omicron variant, the FSM Covid-19 Task Force wants to make sure its repatriation standard operating procedures are able to screen out positive cases before entering quarantine in order to prevent cases spilling into the FSM.
All other elements of the standard operating procedures remain unchanged, e.g. a minimum of seven days of in-country quarantine upon arrival into the FSM, and multiple negative Covid-19 test results during that in-country quarantine process.
The next repatriation flight to Pohnpei State is scheduled to occur on Jan. 24, 2022.
The next repatriation flight to Chuuk State is scheduled to occur on Jan. 26, 2022. T
he next repatriation flight to Kosrae State is scheduled to occur on Jan. 31, 2022.
The next repatriation flight to Yap State is scheduled to occur on Feb. 6, 2022.
