JIC RELEASE NO. 27 - Help Slow the Spread; DOL Seeks Federal Assistance for Unemployment - GHS OCD

As of March 22, 2020, there were 27 positive cases of COVID-19 on Guam with one (1) COVID-19 related death. There will be additional results later this evening once today’s test results are finalized.

Slow the Spread, Flatten the Curve
In a news conference today, Internal Medicine Physician Dr. Felix Cabrera of the Governor’s Physician’s Advisory Group, who also specializes in medical technology, presented information on Guam’s estimated trajectory for COVID-19 cases and its impact on hospitalized patients. The data collected compares Guam’s COVID-19 cases with other countries as well as the trajectory of cases based on comparable rates of spread.

If the Government of Guam had not taken decisive actions and steps to mitigate the spread of the virus, the daily spread rate of COVID-19 would have been at 200 percent, which is the natural infection rate of the virus, according to the World Health Organization Report. Because of the combined efforts of the Government, healthcare community, and the public-at-large, the current daily spread rate is tracking at 33 percent, similar to other countries. But these efforts are not enough. Unless Guam’s rate of spread is cut in half to 16.5% now, the island’s healthcare system will reach a breaking point, according to Dr. Cabrera.

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero is urging the community to help flatten the curve. Everyone can be a hero and play a part in reducing the rate of spread by half through frequent hand washing, covering their cough, staying home, and sanitizing their surroundings.

Additional Guidance, Public Parks and Beaches Close
During today’s news conference, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero advised that she will be extending the Public Health Emergency for the island, an additional 14-days beyond March 30, 2020. This will include an additional Executive Order, with further guidance. The current Executive Order 2020-05, calling for the shutdown of non-essential businesses and mandating social isolation still stands. For now, Governor Leon Guerrero included the mandate that all public beaches and parks be closed, effective immediately.

Stop the Spread: Stay Home, Keep a Minimum of Six Feet Between You and Others
There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. Stop the spread:

Stay home. Keep away from others who are sick and limit face-to-face contact with others.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Limit visitation to elderly family members, except for caregivers or healers.
Avoid gathering at social events, supermarkets, or bingo facilities.

DOL Seeks Federal Support for Unemployment Benefits
The Guam Department of Labor (DOL) is working to submit an application for the Disaster Dislocated Worker grant in an effort to maximize Guam’s eligibility for federal assistance to receive COVID-19 related unemployment benefits. The federally funded grant, if awarded, could potentially provide eligible participants with both disaster relief employment and employment and training activities.

In an effort to get the needed information to identify those in the community that have been impacted, the community is advised if they receive any calls from employees or employers for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, to send the following information to DOL via email at rapidresponse@dol.guam.gov.

For individual employees:

Name of employer that issued the furlough or layoff

For business owners or managers:

Employer name and location
Number of employees laid off or are anticipated to be laid off
Anticipated date and length of layoffs (e.g. 1 to 2 weeks, 3 to 4 weeks, or unknown at this time)
Number of employees with reduced work hours or anticipated number of employees with reduced work hours
When hours were reduced or anticipated date to implement reduced hours
Specifics on reduced work week imposed (e.g. reduce to 32 hours per week, 20 hours per week, 10 hours per week, or unknown at this time)
Duration of reduced hours (e.g. 1 to 2 weeks, 3 to 4 weeks, or unknown at this time)

For media inquiries, contact the Joint Information Center at (671) 478-0208/09/10 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Guam's COVID-19 Trajectory- 23March2020 v.3

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. 27 - Help Slow the Spread; DOL Seeks Federal Assistance for Unemployment