CNMI at ‘Level Medium’

The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. reported late Tuesday the CNMI’s 35th COVID-19-related death. Also, the CNMI has moved into COVID-19 Community Level Medium due to an increase in the number of community cases.

Aside from the CHCC news release announcing zero COVID-19 hospitalizations as of June 28, 2022, the report did not provide additional details about the new fatality from COVID-19, as per its standard procedure.

The Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force and CHCC also reported that, from June 20 to June 26, there were two COVID-19 hospitalizations. Since the news release states that there are now no hospitalized individuals as a result of COVID-19, it is presumed that one of the two recovered while the other one is the latest fatality.

Also, the same news release reported 189 additional individuals who have been confirmed positive for COVID-19, bringing the CNMI total to 11,759 cases since March 28, 2020.

Of the 189 cases identified from June 20 to June 26, 16 were identified on June 20 (one on Rota); 38 on June 21; 30 on June 22 (two on Tinian); 35 on June 23 (one on Rota); 20 on June 24; 29 on June 25; and 21 on June 26.

One additional case was identified June 18, 2022.
Of the total cases that have been identified in the CNMI, there have already been 11,589 recoveries; 135 active cases; and 35 COVID-19-related deaths.

The next CHCC report will be around July 5, 2022.
With the uptick in community cases, the CNMI has moved into COVID-19 Community Level Medium. Prior to this, the CNMI was at Community Level Low, based on metrics set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While at COVID-19 Community Level Medium, CHCC recommends the following for individual persons and households:

1. Wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk;

2. If you are immunocompromised or have a high risk for severe disease;
a. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions (e.g., testing);
b. Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or knowing how to access testing);
c. Talk to your health care provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and monoclonal antibodies;

3. If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease:
a. Consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
b. Consider wearing a mask when indoors with them

4. Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters

5. Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces whenever possible

6. Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 should stay home and isolate when they are sick (except to get medical care), even if they do not have symptoms; rest; stay hydrated; can take over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, to relieve symptoms; and live COVID-19 safe.

Treatment

Residents of the CNMI who test positive for COVID-19 may be eligible for treatment by reporting their positive test result online at www.staysafecnmi.com/self-reporting within five days of the test result date. Residents requesting COVID-19 treatment should fill out the medical questionnaire in the form to get assessed as soon as possible. Reporting a positive test result online also allows residents to obtain a certificate of quarantine completion, which employers/individuals may use as documentation of a positive test result.

Individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should stay home (except to get medical care or get tested for COVID-19) and live COVID-19 safe. Other options include seeing their health care provider or calling the CHCC Tele-Triage hotline at (670) 233-2067. For a guidebook on how to live COVID-19 safe, visit www.staysafecnmi.com/livecovidsafe.

CHCC continues to encourage the community to get vaccinated if they have not done so, or get their booster shot if they are eligible to help prevent severe illness, hospitalization, or death. People considered high risk (e.g., history of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, or cancer, or over the age of 65), immunocompromised persons, or unvaccinated individuals are at risk of serious illness from COVID-19. Unvaccinated individuals spread the virus at a higher rate than vaccinated individuals, thereby increasing the spread and risk of serious illness toward other unvaccinated individuals.

Stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccination, which includes additional doses for individuals who are immunocompromised or booster doses for those who are eligible. Register for COVID-19 vaccines at www.vaccinatecnmi.com, or call (670) 236-8745.

Vaccines

COVID-19 vaccines are now available for individuals aged 6 months to 4 years. Individuals aged 18 or older are eligible to avail of a booster shot; 5- to 17-year-olds can avail of a Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot. Individuals aged 50 or older or certain individuals who are immunocompromised can avail of a 2nd booster shot.

Data show that vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infection is waning after the primary series, but protection remains high against severe disease and hospitalization.

As of June 28, 2022, a total of 23,450 COVID-19 additional/booster vaccine shots have been administered; of the eligible population, 62.8% have received an additional dose. The vaccination rate is calculated using the 2020 Census population estimates for the CNMI and includes the eligible 5-years-old and older population.

A total of 2,503 COVID-19 tests were conducted June 20 – 26, 2022:
-742 on June 20, 2022
-247 on June 21, 2022
-111 on June 22, 2022
-604 on June 23, 2022
-476 on June 24, 2022
-235 on June 25, 2022
-88 on June 26, 2022

Free COVID-19 testing is available by registering at https://covidtesting.chcc.health.
While you wait to get tested or for your test results, stay at home as much as possible and limit your contact with others. Live COVID-19 safe: wear your mask; wash your hands; watch your distance; avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces; cover coughs and sneezes; clean and disinfect high touch surfaces daily; be alert for symptoms daily; and get tested for COVID-19. (Saipan Tribune/PR)