JIC RELEASE NO. 521 - Results: 17 of 501 Tests Positive for COVID-19;Community Testing Continues Tomorrow at Guam Community College;One GDOE Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19

Results: 17 New Cases of COVID-19
Seventeen (17) new cases of COVID-19 were identified out of 501 tests performed by the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) on Sunday, January 3, and tests from additional labs from Friday, January 1 to Sunday, January 3. Six (6) cases were identified through contact tracing. Six (6) cases reported recent travel history and were identified in quarantine. 

To date, there have been a total of 7,344 officially reported cases of COVID-19 with 123 deaths, 132 cases in active isolation and 7,089 not in active isolation.

The COVID Area Risk (CAR) Score accounts for the incidence of new cases, how well current testing identifies these cases, and the rate of spread. The ideal long-term goal is to sustain a CAR Score of 2.5 or less, which has been shown to correlate with very low to zero COVID-related hospitalizations and deaths. 

The following tables provide COVID-19 test results reported to the Joint Information Center on Monday, January 4 and reflects results from additional labs from Friday, January 1 to Sunday, January 3:

The following provides COVID-19 vaccinations reported to the Joint Information Center on Monday, January 4, 2021 for vaccinations administered from December 17 to January 3:

*Healthcare agencies are required to report certain adverse events or reactions to vaccines to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. VAERS is an early warning system to detect possible safety problems in U.S.-licensed vaccines, and is co-managed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Community Testing Continues Tomorrow at Guam Community College
DPHSS, in collaboration with the Guam Community College (GCC), Mayors’ Council of Guam, Guam National Guard, Department of Public Works, Guam Police Department, Guam Fire Department, University of Guam School of Nursing and Health Sciences, and other Government of Guam and Federal Agencies, continues COVID-19 community testing tomorrow, January 5, 2021, at GCC from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The first hour, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., will be reserved for GCC students, faculty and staff only.

DPHSS will offer up to 300 tests on a first-come, first-served basis. 

For the safety of the community and the nurses, only four (4) people per vehicle are allowed to be tested. No symptoms are needed to qualify for testing. Please bring a picture ID.

The Northern Region Community Health Center (NRCHC) will remain open for COVID-19 testing by appointment only and can be contacted by calling 635-7525/6.

One GDOE Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19
Over the weekend, the Guam Department of Education (GDOE) confirmed that one GDOE employee from the central offices in Tiyan tested positive for COVID-19. The employee had primarily been teleworking throughout December.

The GDOE is working closely with DPHSS to conduct contact tracing and any close contacts of the confirmed case will be contacted directly. Areas of the offices will be cleaned and disinfected as needed.

GBHWC Crisis Hotline
The Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center (GBHWC) has a Crisis Hotline that is available 24/7 at (671) 647-8833/4. For those feeling anxious, stressed, overwhelmed or are needing to talk to someone, GBHWC has experienced providers available and ready to assist the community with any heightened stress and anxiety experienced as a result of COVID-19.

For the latest information on COVID-19, visit dphss.guam.gov or guamrecovery.com. For inquiries on COVID-19, contact 311 through a local number, or call the Joint Information Center at (671) 478-0208/09/10. 

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