‘Possible vaxx card verification among items being mulled’

The Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force is in talks right now with the Torres administration about possibly releasing a directive regarding businesses verifying the COVID-19 vaccination of its customers.

During an appearance during Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ radio news briefing Tuesday,task force chair Warren F. Villagomez gave updates on the task force’s ongoing efforts and part of efforts include discussions with Torres about requiring vaccination cards for entry to some businesses.

“We see that [it] is important to continue to put out efforts [that make] sure that we’re not mixing communities that are not vaccinated or not complying with our measures…to safeguard our community,” he said.

Villagomez also briefly addressed the passing of a task force member in a utility task vehicle that occurred earlier this month at the quarantine site at the former Marianas Resort, describing the ordeal as a “sensitive matter.” He assured that measures have been put in place to ensure that such an incident does not recur.

“That is a sensitive matter…and we had implemented corrective actions [to ensure] that an incident like this does not happen [again],” he said.

Part of these corrective actions include having more higher-ranking task force personnel on the site to ensure that all other personnel are adhering to quarantine site policies and procedures.

Villagomez explained that the task force and the Department of Homeland Security oversee the daily operations of all government quarantine sites and the different aspects related to the sites, including transportation and security.

Giving updates on active government sites, Villagomez said the Pacific Islands Club Saipan, Kanoa Resort Saipan site, and the site at the former Marianas Resort are active. The PIC and Kanoa sites are “full-on isolation and quarantine sites for COVID-positives,” Villagomez said, and the former Marianas Resort site is for incoming travelers that did not meet certain travel protocol requirements.

In other updates, Villagomez said tat the task force, the Department of Public Safety, and the Department of Fire & Emergency Medical Services will be supporting the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.’s COVID-19 Community Center at the Koblerville Youth Center, and that there have not been any positive cases of COVID-19 on Tinian and Rota as of late. Task force personnel remain on standby on both islands however, he said.