JIC RELEASE NO. 170 - Disaster Household Distribution; Medicare Covers Mental Health Services; Expanded COVID-19 Testing Continues - GHS OCD

COVID-19 test results are reported from multiple labs at varying times of the day. Cumulative test results will be provided this evening once all tests from today are finalized.

To date, there have been 180 cases confirmed through COVID-19 testing provided with 5 deaths, 164 released from isolation, and 11 active cases. As this is an evolving situation, information is subject to change with little to no notice. For updated information on COVID-19 cases on Guam, visit the COVID-19 Dashboard and Situation Report at http://dphss.guam.gov/covid-19/.

Disaster Household Distribution
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Disaster Household Distribution (DHD) is available to all families impacted by COVID-19. TEFAP-DHD began in May, and the Guam Department of Education (GDOE) was approved by USDA to distribute a total of 12,000 TEFAP-DHD commodity bags.

Recipients will receive one bag of TEFAP-DHD food commodities and one Farmers to Families food box of fresh fruits or vegetables. Food commodities include items such as fresh apples and oranges, beans, rice, canned fruits, sauces, tuna, salmon, pork, beef, and chicken. Distribution will take place on Thursday, June 11, 2020 at the following locations:

Tiyan Upper Baseball Field from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Yona St. Francis Church from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Commodities will be distributed for the week on a first come, first served basis, while supplies last. Distribution may end early if all available resources are distributed before 10 a.m. Participants are asked to follow the following program guidelines:

Please be patient;
Follow instructions and have valid identification ready;
Wear a mask at all times;
Remain in your vehicle;
Proceed with caution; and
Follow traffic directions and signage.

In addition to the 12,000 commodity bags approved for distribution through the TEFAP-DHD program, an additional 8,019 bags of commodities were distributed to non-profit community organizations, Mayor’s Offices, and the Feed the Need Organization between March and May 2020.

Normal TEFAP Commodities Distribution Resumes last week of June
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) regular operations will be suspended from June 15-19 in order to replenish commodity resources and to transition back to operations at the Piti warehouse. Normal TEFAP commodities distribution will resume at the GDOE Piti warehouse during the final week of June. Further TEFAP information, dates and times will be announced at a later date. The TEFAP commodities distribution program is available to economically vulnerable families that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Participants are reminded to continue to follow all safety guidelines.

Medicare Covers Mental Health Services
If you have Medicare and you are feeling anxious or depressed during these stressful and uncertain times, make sure you call your doctor or a healthcare professional. Medicare covers a number of services to support you, including outpatient mental health services like depression screening, individual and group psychotherapy, and family counseling.

Please check your healthcare provider if counseling services via telehealth is available to you. Further, be sure to check, as some healthcare providers and plans are reducing or waiving the amount you pay for telehealth visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Always take care of your mental health, and call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row. Visit Medicare.gov or CDC.gov for more information or contact Chad Palomo at the Division of Senior Citizens at 735-7421/7415 or through email at chad.palomo@dphss.guam.gov.

Expanded COVID-19 Testing Continues
DPHSS, in collaboration with the Government of Guam, the Mayors Council of Guam, private, and federal agencies, continues expanded COVID-19 testing.

Testing is free and open to the public. No symptoms are needed to qualify for testing. If your village is not listed, please proceed to a neighboring village for testing. Please bring an I.D., if one is available. The expanded testing schedule is as follows:

COVID-19 Drive-Through Testing:

Thursday, June 11, 2020, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. at the Merizo Senior Center
- Free and open to Merizo residents
Tuesday, June 16, 2020, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Piti Mayor’s Office
- Free and open to Piti residents
Wednesday, June 17, 2020, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. at the Santa Rita Senior Center
- Free and open to Santa Rita residents
Thursday, June 18, 2020, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the St. Anthony Church grounds, Tamuning
- Free and open to Tamuning and Tumon residents
Tuesday, June 23, 2020, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the GPD Police Koban Parking Lot (next to Barrigada Community Center)
- Free and open to Barrigada residents
Wednesday, June 24, 2020, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Agana Heights Mayor’s Office
- Free and open to Agana Heights residents

If you are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, please call your health care provider. If a patient does not have a regular health care provider, they can call any of the Community Health Centers or the DPHSS Medical Triage Hotline phone numbers listed below to report symptoms and obtain guidance from clinicians, or call 311 and dial option number 1.

(671) 480-7859
(671) 480-6760/3
(671) 480-7883
(671) 687-6170 (ADA Dedicated Number)

For inquiries on COVID-19, contact 311 through a local number, or call the Joint Information Center at (671) 478-0208/09/10.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

JIC RELEASE NO. 170 - Disaster Household Distribution; Medicare Covers Mental Health Services; Expanded COVID-19 Testing Continues