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Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

At least 63 people, most of them children, have died since the outbreak began in mid-October and the country on Friday entered a second day of lockdown as it administers compulsory vaccinations in a desperate bid to stop the virus.

Al Jazeera's Jessica Washington, reporting from the Samoan capital, Apia, on Friday said that so far, an estimated 16,000 people have been vaccinated during the first day of the mass immunisation on Thursday.

[...]"The anti-vaxxers, unfortunately, have been slowing us down," he told TVNZ.

"We've had children who have passed away after coming to the hospital as a last resort, and then we find out the anti-vaccine message has got to their families and that's why they've kept these kids at home," he said.

He warned anti-vaxxers "don't get in the way, don't contribute to the deaths".

"We will advise police to act when we have no choice," Attorney General Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff added in a statement.

The government-backed its tough rhetoric by arresting vocal anti-vaccination campaigner Edwin Tamasese late on Thursday and charging him with incitement.

Officials said Tamasese had been warned about his activities previously but posted a message to social media regarding the immunisation drive saying: "I'll be here to mop up your mess. Enjoy your killing spree."

The government has additional powers after declaring a state of emergency to deal with the measles crisis and the Samoa Observer reported that Tamasese could face two years in jail.

It also said that US-based anti-vaxxers were swamping government websites with material that Tupai described as "nonsense".

He said the first day of the shutdown was a success, with more than 10,000 people, or five percent of the entire 200,000 population, receiving their jabs.

Previously:
Samoa Shuts Down in Unprecedented Battle Against Measles
Measles Cases in Samoa More Than Double Over Past Week as Death Toll Rises

Original Submission