JIC Release No. 1160 - Report Positive COVID-19 At-home Test Results to DPHSS; Cumulative COVID-19 Test Results: 181 New Cases Reported January 10–17; 13 Hospitalized; One COVID-19-related Fatality Reported; Additional COVID-19 Updates

Report Positive COVID-19 At-home Test Results to DPHSS

Report positive COVID-19 at-home and over the counter (OTC) test results to the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) via email: dphss.surveillance@dphss.guam.gov. You must report your positive result within 24 hours and provide the following information:

• Full Name
• Date of Test
• Contact Number
• Results
• Date of Birth    
• Test Manufacturer

 

Cumulative COVID-19 Test Results: 181 New Cases Reported January 10 – 17

Today, DPHSS reported 181 new cases of COVID-19 from 1,155 specimens analyzed from tests administered January 9–16, 2023:

 

• January 17: 9 of 101 test positive for COVID-19

• January 16: 8 of 64 test positive for COVID-19

• January 15: 11 of 93 test positive for COVID-19

• January 14: 28 of 172 test positive for COVID-19

• January 13: 24 of 171 test positive for COVID-19

• January 12: 25 of 109 test positive for COVID-19

• January 11: 37 of 177 test positive for COVID-19

• January 10: 39 of 268 test positive for COVID-19

 

To date, there have been a total of 60,492 officially reported cases, 415 deaths, 113 cases in active isolation, and 59,964 not in active isolation.

 

13 Hospitalized for COVID-19

 

One COVID-19-related Fatality Reported

The Joint Information Center was notified that Guam’s 415th COVID-19-related fatality was pronounced dead on arrival at the Guam Memorial Hospital on January 10, 2023. The patient was a 102-year-old female, with underlying health conditions, and without any record of vaccination who tested positive on January 10, 2023. 

“Josh, Jeff, and I will keep her family and friends in our prayers,” said Governor Lou Leon Guerrero. “Our community continues to experience loss from this virus but our mitigation efforts are still viable; stay home if you are sick, get tested and treated if needed.” 
 

SNAP Emergency Allotments Available on January 20
The SNAP Emergency Allotment for January 2023 will be released on January 20, 2023. The benefits will be electronically loaded into the SNAP recipients’ EBT cards. For any questions or for additional information, please contact the Bureau of Economic Security of the Division of Public Welare at the following phone numbers:

• BES North (Dededo) at 671-635-7488/635-7484/635-7439/635-7396/635-7429

• BES Central (RAN-Care Building in Tamuning) at 671-300-8853/8854 or 671-300-8850/ 8865

 

Treating COVID-19 with Oral Medications Available by Prescription
Oral treatments are available that can reduce your chances of being hospitalized or dying from the disease. Medications to treat COVID-19 must be prescribed by a healthcare provider and must be started within days of when you first develop symptoms to be effective. Paxlovid and Molnupiravir remain effective treatments against currently circulating variants and emerging variants. To receive the oral treatments, you must have either a current home test showing your positive test result for a COVID-19 infection or a current laboratory confirmed COVID-19 infection, and a referral from a prescribing physician. For more information, call 311 and select option 1 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends and holidays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or call 671-998-4527 or 671-998-4547.

 

COVID-19 Testing Available at The Plaza Shopping Center Until Tuesday, Jan. 31

Residents who do not have COVID-like symptoms, may seek free COVID-19 testing at The Plaza Shopping Center in the Dusit Beach Resort from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m,  Monday through Saturday, except on observed Government of Guam holidays. Those who need ADA accommodations for curbside testing in their vehicles may call 671-998-4530. No symptoms are needed for COVID-19 testing at The Plaza Shopping Center. Additional COVID Testing sites are listed below: 

 

Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines and Boosters Available
Infants 6 months and older are eligible to receive the Moderna COVID-19 bivalent booster at the Guam Community Health Centers in Dededo and Inalåhan. DPHSS encourages residents of all ages to be up to date on their COVID-19 and flu vaccinations and boosters in order to protect their friends and family this holiday season.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting an omicron-specific (bivalent) booster, which targets the original strain of the coronavirus as well as more recently circulating variants (BA.4 and BA.5). The original vaccines, called monovalent vaccines, will no longer be available as booster doses. Only the Moderna COVID-19 bivalent booster is available to infants 6 months and older, who completed their Moderna primary series.
 

The Pfizer COVID-19 bivalent vaccine is recommended for individuals 6 months to 4 years of age as the third dose to complete the primary series, at least two months since the second shot in their primary series. A booster dose is not authorized for children in this age group who already completed the Pfizer 3-dose primary series. The Pfizer bivalent booster is also available to individuals 5 years of age or older, regardless of which vaccine was taken for their primary series or monovalent booster as long as it has been at least two months since they have completed their primary vaccination series or since they have received the monovalent COVID-19 booster dose.

 

The Moderna COVID-19  bivalent vaccine is recommended for individuals 6 months to 5 years if they received the Moderna monovalent vaccine as their primary series and it has been at least two months since the last dose in their primary series. The Moderna bivalent booster is also available to individuals 6 years of age or older, regardless of which vaccine was taken for their primary series or booster as long as it has been at least two months since they have completed their primary vaccination series or since they have received the monovalent COVID-19 booster dose.

 

The updated Pfizer BioNTech bivalent vaccine and Moderna bivalent boosters are available at all DPHSS vaccination clinics at The Plaza Shopping Center, NRCHC, SRCHC, and our extended outreach vaccination events.
 

 

COVID-19 Vaccines for Children 6 Months and Older Available at DPHSS CHCs

The Moderna and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccines are authorized for use in children from six months of age and older. In most children, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for children ages six months through five years will be a two-dose primary series with four to eight weeks between dose one and dose two. In most children, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages six months through four years will be a three-dose primary series three to eight weeks between dose one and dose two, and at least eight weeks between dose two and dose three. Requirements for minors to receive the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine at DPHSS vaccination clinics and outreach events:

• Parent/legal guardian must provide minor’s birth certificate

• Parent/legal guardian must have a government-issued photo identification

• Minor must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian

• Guardians must present legal guardianship or power-of-attorney documents

 

Guam COVID-19 Vaccination Update – As of January 13, 2023

As of January 13, 2023, 140,903 eligible residents (6 months and older) are fully vaccinated. This total includes 14,365 residents 12 – 17 years old. 9,364 residents 5 – 11 years old received their first dose of a two dose series. 7,721 residents 5 – 11 years old have completed their two-dose series. 364 residents 6 months – 5 years old have received their first dose of a two dose series. 82,928 eligible residents have received their first booster shots. 14,506 eligible residents have received their second booster shots.