JIC RELESE NO. 914 - 274th COVID-19-related Fatality Reported; COVID-19 Test Results: 243 New Cases, 12 Hospitalized; Tiyan COVID-19 Outreach Moves to Appointment-Based Testing

274th COVID-19-related Fatality Reported
The Joint Information Center was notified that Guam’s 274th COVID-19-related fatality occurred at the Guam Memorial Hospital on December 2, 2021. The patient was a 76-year-old female, vaccinated with underlying health conditions. She tested positive on September 18, 2021. 

“With each passing, we are reminded that this pandemic is far from over,” said Governor Lou Leon Guerrero. “While we forge forward in our response, let us not forget how far we have come and those we have lost. To her family and those who loved her, Jeff, Josh, and I extend our deepest sympathies and prayers.” 

DON’T WAIT UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE.

Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. Seek emergency medical care immediately or call 911 if you have trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, or bluish lips or face. Individuals who are sick are advised to:

• Stay home, except to seek medical care. Call ahead before visiting the clinic/doctor.

• Monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, cough, and shortness of breath, fatigue, body aches, headaches, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion, nausea and/or diarrhea.

• Get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19. While waiting for test results, you should stay away from others, including staying apart from those living in your household.

12 Hospitalized for COVID-19

SPECIAL NOTE: Based on today's data, if we were to compare two (2) hypothetical populations of 100,000 people each, vaccinated versus unvaccinated, there would be 6 vaccinated people hospitalized for COVID-19 compared to 35 unvaccinated people hospitalized for COVID-19. The risk of being hospitalized for COVID-19 is about 6 times higher for the unvaccinated as compared to the vaccinated. *Estimated population is based on DPHSS Immunization Program analysis of 2020 Census data. Updates are expected pending further Census 2020 data breakdown.

COVID-19 Test Results: 243 New Cases of COVID-19 
Today, the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) reported 243 new cases of COVID-19 from 1,802 tests run on January 6, 2022. One hundred twenty-two (122) cases were identified through contact tracing. To date, there have been a total of 20,594 officially reported cases, 274 deaths, 1,227 cases in active isolation, and 19,093 not in active isolation. The CAR Score is 89.7.

Tiyan COVID-19 Outreach Moves to Appointment-Based Testing, Hours Extended
The community COVID-19 testing at the old carnival grounds in Tiyan, Barrigada will transition to an appointment-based system beginning January 10, 2022. Scheduling of appointments for COVID-19 testing will allow for more efficient processing and reduce long lines and wait times. Unscheduled drive-ups will be accepted on a limited basis. Beginning Monday, hours of operation will also be extended to accommodate more patients. The new hours are listed below. To schedule an appointment, visit tinyurl.com/covidstopswithme. 

Fill out a COVID-19 Testing Patient Assessment Form ahead of time, available at dphss.guam.gov/covid-19-testing. Individuals waiting for COVID-19 test results must quarantine at home until cleared by DPHSS. Test results are available via email by sending a request to covidresults@dphss.guam.gov.

COVID-19 Booster Shot Interval Shortened, Eligibility Expands, and 3rd Primary Dose for

Immunocompromised Children 5 to 11 Years Old Available

Today, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated recommendations for administering the COVID-19 vaccine, to include:

• Shortening the interval for when eligible people can receive a booster dose, from 6 months to 5 months after completing their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series. This means that eligible people can receive an mRNA booster dose 5 months after completing their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series. The booster dose interval recommendations for people who received their Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (2 months) or Moderna (6 months) has not changed.   

• Expanding the COVID-19 boosters to adolescents ages 12 to 15 years old. At this time, only the Pfizer-BioNTech booster vaccine is authorized and recommended for adolescents aged 12 to 15 years old.

• Authorizing a third primary series dose for certain immunocompromised children aged 5 to 11 years old. The CDC is recommending moderately or severely immunocompromised 5 to 11 year olds receive an additional dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric COVID-19 vaccine to complete the primary series, with a total of three doses. The additional dose should be spaced 28 days after the second dose. At this time, only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for children 5 to 11 years of age. 

Register for SimpleReport for Faster Processing of COVID-19 Test Results
Residents and patients who plan to get tested for COVID-19 are encouraged to register for SimpleReport, a free, user-friendly web-based app, that remembers required patient information for easier, simpler reporting of COVID-19 test results. Once registration is completed, protected patient information is stored for all future testing. A QR code may be issued to patients once they are registered to the SimpleReport system. 

To register for SimpleReport, visit tinyurl.com/guamtesting.

Individuals who test negative for COVID-19 will receive a text message through their mobile phones with instructions to verify their identity to view their results. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 are encouraged to isolate immediately. DPHSS staff will contact the patient to screen for other isolation measures, symptoms, and coordinate for monoclonal antibody therapy treatment, if eligible.

Guam COVID-19 Vaccination Update 
As of January 6, 2022, a total of 130,055 of Guam’s eligible population (residents 5 years and older) is fully vaccinated. This total includes 12,630 residents 12 – 17 years old. 5,069 residents 5 – 11 years old received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech two dose series. 3,182 residents 5 – 11 years old have completed their two-dose series. An additional 205 residents received their booster shots and a total of 40,847 booster shots have been administered to eligible residents since September 29, 2021.