Uptick in COVID cases seen

The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. is monitoring an uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases in the CNMI, noting that there were four new hospitalizations related to COVID-19 infections over the holiday weekend.

A CHCC news release yesterday did not specify the number of new COVID-19 cases, aside from saying that a slight increase of COVID-19 cases has been identified in the wake of the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The news release assured, though, that the safety of CNMI residents remains the top priority of the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force and CHCC and it encouraged residents to get as soon as possible early if they develop symptoms of COVID-19.

“If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, like fever, cough, shortness of breath, body aches, runny nose or sore throat, isolate yourself from others, get tested and treated early. The earlier the better to help prevent dangerous outcomes,” said Dr. Lily Muldoon, medical director of Public Health and Emergency Department physician. “COVID-19 is still in the CNMI and we need to continue to be vigilant,”

The CHCC news release states that, as the community is coming out of the holiday season, CHCC urges everyone to practice simple steps to help minimize the risk of a post-holiday surge in COVID-19 infections and the understanding of risks to prevent increases in COVID-19 related hospitalizations in the CNMI.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention provides the following guidance on understanding your risks against COVID-19.

-Factors that raise your risk of getting very sick from COVID-19

–Age: Older adults (especially those ages 50 years and older, with risk increasing with older age) are more likely than younger people to get very sick if they get COVID-19. This means they are more likely to need hospitalization, intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe, or they could die.

–Immunocompromised or weakened immune system: Having a weakened immune system, also known as being immunocompromised, can make you more likely to get very sick if you get COVID-19. People who are immunocompromised, or who are taking medicines that weaken their immune system, may not be protected as well as others, even if they are up to date on their vaccines

–Underlying health conditions: Certain underlying health conditions you have (for example, obesity or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder) may affect your risk of becoming very sick if you get COVID-19. Often, the more health conditions you have, the higher your risk. Certain conditions increase your risk more than others. For example, severe heart disease increases your risk more than high blood pressure.

– Factors that can help protect you from getting very sick from COVID-19

— Vaccination: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines is the best way to protect yourself and others around you from getting very sick, being hospitalized, or dying from COVID-19. Booster doses can give you additional protection. They can help enhance or restore protection that might have decreased over time.

-Community members can contact the Immunization Program at (670) 236-8745 to verify whether they are due for an updated Booster or to schedule a vaccination at the CHCC Immunization Clinic. Additionally, updated COVID-19 Boosters are available at most primary care provider clinic locations, including:

–CHCC Children’s Clinic, Women’s Clinic, Family Care Clinic, call (670) 234-8951

–Medical Associates of the Pacific, call (670) 323-9000

–Marianas Medical Center, call (670) 234-3926

–Kagman Isla Community Health Center, call (670)256-5242

–Tinian Health Center, call (670) 433-9233

–Rota Health Center, call (670) 532-9461

– Timely testing and treatment: It is important to get tested quickly if you think you are sick with COVID-19 because most treatment needs to be started within a few days of infection. It can also help to have a plan for what to do if you feel sick or are diagnosed with COVID-19, especially if you have barriers to testing or treatment, such as transportation challenges.

– Get tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms or at least 5 days after you were exposed to someone with COVID-19. COVID-19 testing is available at the Koblerville COVID-19 Community Center.

– Residents may also order free at home tests available at website https://www.covid.gov/tests

– Treatment is available with your primary care doctor (CHCC or private clinics) or through the CHCC Emergency Department.

— Previous infection: Having a previous infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 offers some protection from future illness. However, people who have had previous infections can still be reinfected and get severe COVID-19, especially if their previous infection was months ago or with a different variant (e.g., Delta variant). There are also risks to being repeatedly infected, including the potential of longer-term symptoms or development of post-COVID conditions.

– Factors that lower or increase risk of transmission

— Length of time: How long were you with the infected person? Longer exposure time increases the risk of transmission (for example, contact longer than 15 minutes is more likely to result in transmission than two minutes of contact).

— Cough or heavy breathing: Was the infected person coughing, singing, shouting, or breathing heavily? Activities like coughing, singing, shouting, or breathing heavily due to exertion increase the risk of transmission.

— Symptoms: Did the infected person have symptoms at the time? Being around people who are symptomatic increases the risk of transmission.

— Masks: Were you or the infected person or both wearing a high-quality mask? If one person was wearing a mask, the risk of transmission is decreased, and if both people were wearing masks, the risk is substantially decreased. Risk is also lower if the mask or respirator is a type that offers greater protection.

— Ventilation and filtration: How well-ventilated was the space? More outdoor air can decrease the risk of transmission. Being outside would be lower exposure risk than being indoors, even with good ventilation and filtration; both of those options would be lower risk than being indoors with poor ventilation or filtration.

— Distance: How close was the infected person to you? Being closer to someone who is infected with COVID-19 increases the risk of transmission. Crowded settings can raise your likelihood of being close to someone with COVID-19.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/. (PR/SaipanTribune)