NMI’s COVID-19 Community Level progressing toward ‘Medium’

The Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force and the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. announced yesterday that the CNMI has adopted the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new COVID-19 metric of Community Levels.

Overview
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres issued several executive orders that declared a state of significant emergency and outlined restrictions on activities throughout the Commonwealth in efforts to contain and mitigate the spread of the disease throughout the community.

CHCC and the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force implemented protocols that are cognizant of community concerns regarding COVID-19 and administered in a manner that allows for community participation in mitigating the spread of the disease.

With the CNMI’s high percentages of residents completing their primary series of a COVID-19 vaccine or receiving a booster shot, the new CDC metric falls in line with the CNMI’s shift to focus on medically significant community cases.

Focusing on reducing medically significant illness and minimizing strain on the CNMI’s healthcare system reflects the CDC’s current approach to the SARS-CoV-2 infection, immunity from vaccination and prior infection, and the treatments available.

COVID-19 vaccines remain the best protection against severe illness, and ensuring access to vaccines, treatments, and testing remains in the CNMI’s plan with living COVID-19 safe.

New Community Level metric
With the new CDC metric, the CNMI is currently in the “High” Community Level.

A combination of three factors determines the COVID-19 Community Level:

1. New COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days;

2. The percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients;

3. Total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past seven days.

New COVID-19 admissions and the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied represent the current potential for strain on the health system. Data on new cases acts as an early warning indicator of potential increases in health system strain in the event of a COVID-19 surge.

The COVID-19 Community Level is determined by the higher of the new admissions and inpatient beds metrics, based on the current level of new cases per 100,000 population in the past seven days.

Based on these factors, the COVID-19 Community Level can be classified as Low, Medium, or High.

To date, cases are continuously detected via Community-Based Testing, CHCC or Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services testing, as well as at-home testing. As of March 14, 2022, a total of 10,535 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the CNMI, with 1 in 5 CNMI citizens estimated to have contracted the disease. Due to the high vaccination rate against COVID-19 in the CNMI and availability of treatments such as monoclonal antibodies, rates of severe COVID-19 have been low. A total of 213 people have been hospitalized for COVID-19 (2.1% of cases) and 31 people have died due to COVID-19 for an overall case fatality rate of 0.3%, lower than almost every other U.S. jurisdiction and most countries.

Recommendations for individual persons and households based on COVID-19 Community Levels:
I. HIGH
Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status (including in K-12 schools and other indoor community settings)

If you are immunocompromised or have a high risk for severe disease:

i. Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection

ii. Consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposed

iii. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions (e.g., testing)

iv. Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or know access to testing)

v. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies

If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease: i. Consider self-testing to detect infection before contact

ii. Consider wearing a mask when indoors with them

Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters

Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces whenever possible

Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if

you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19

II. MEDIUM
Wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk

If you are immunocompromised or have a high risk for severe disease

Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions (e.g., testing)

Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or know access to testing)

Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments

like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies

If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease:

i. Consider self-testing to detect infection before contact

ii. Consider wearing a mask when indoors with them

Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters

Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces whenever possible

Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if

you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19

III. LOW
Wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk

Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters

Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces whenever possible

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

If you are immunocompromised or have a high risk for severe disease

i. Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)

ii. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies. (PR)