JIC RELEASE NO. 578 - Additional COVID-19 Vaccines Secured for March Allotment;February 27 Vaccination Clinic to be Rescheduled; Results: One of 180 Test Positive for COVID-19;Food Commodities Distribution Through Community Organizations Continues;COVID-1

Governor Leon Guerrero Secures Additional COVID-19 Vaccines for March Allotment
Following her request to General Gustave Perna, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero has secured additional COVID-19 vaccines for Guam. Early Saturday morning, the head of the White House’s vaccine distribution operation committed to increasing the island’s March allocation, bringing the month’s total to 35,260 vaccines.  

Vaccine allocation is dependent on vaccine production. Also considered is the jurisdiction’s performance, Guam notably leading the nation with vaccination efforts.  

Vaccines are expected to arrive the first week of March and will include 14,200 Moderna and 21,060 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. Due to severe winter weather in the U.S. mainland, the allotment cannot be advanced. The March allotment is the largest Guam will receive since COVID-19 vaccines were made available in December 2020.

†The February allocation was previously reported in JIC Release No. 572 as 19,200 doses. However, the February allocation has been readjusted to reflect 17,000 doses since the White House increased Guam’s March preliminary allocation from 21,360 to 35,260 - reflecting an increase of 13,900 doses.
 

February 27 Vaccination Clinic to be Rescheduled 
As the island continues toward achieving herd immunity, global demand for the vaccine will affect supply levels, which may affect vaccination clinics. 

Limited supply for the remainder of the month will result in the postponement of the vaccination clinic scheduled for Saturday, February 27, at the UOG Fieldhouse. Affected individuals may receive a call from the UOG Call Center on behalf of DPHSS, informing them of the clinic postponement. Once vaccine supply is restored, additional vaccination clinics will be scheduled and announced to ensure these individuals complete their vaccination series. 

All other vaccination clinics and appointments scheduled for Tuesday, February 23 to Friday, February 26 remain unaffected at this time. 

Those who anticipated receiving their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Saturday, February 27, are encouraged to proceed to the vaccination clinic scheduled for Friday, February 26 at the UOG Fieldhouse. 

Short-term deferral of the second dose will not decrease the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, nor will affected individuals be required to restart the vaccination series. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the second dose should be administered as close to the recommended interval as possible. The CDC further states that if it is not feasible to adhere to the recommended interval and a delay in vaccination is unavoidable, the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines may be administered up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose.

Results: One New Case of COVID-19

One (1) new case of COVID-19 was identified out of 180 tests performed on Friday, February 19. 

To date, there have been a total of 7,716 officially reported cases of COVID-19 with 130 deaths, 58 cases in active isolation, and 7,528 not in active isolation.

1The COVID Area Risk (CAR) Score will be recalculated once reports from all participating labs are up to date. The 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 JIC on Saturday, February 20, and reflects results from Friday, February 19:

The following provides preliminary COVID-19 vaccinations reported to the JIC on Saturday, February 20, for vaccinations administered from December 17 to February 19:

*Administering second doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccinations began on January 4, 2021.

**Administering first doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations began on January 8, 2021.

***Administering second doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations began on January 29, 2021.

^As of February 19, 2021 | ^^Reflects the previous allocation total of 43,500 and last received allocation of 7,800 on February 7, 2021

Food Commodities Distribution Through Community Organizations Continues
The Guam Department of Education (GDOE), State Agency for the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Nutrition Service (FNS), continues food commodities distribution in partnership with community organizations.

Commodities are provided, in bags and in bulk, to community organizations. Organizations will distribute food commodities directly to their clients/families/households. Organizations will receive an array of non-perishable food commodities. Food commodities for a total of 1,646 clients/families/households will be provided to organizations for distribution.

The following is a schedule of food commodities to be picked up by organizations:

UPDATE: Village-Based COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics Scheduled for Feb. 22, 23 & 26
DPHSS, in partnership with MCOG, and GDOE, continues village-based COVID-19 vaccination clinics on Monday, February 22 at the Santa Rita Senior Center; Tuesday, February 23 at the Yona Gym; and Friday, February 26 at the Barrigada Community Center. Village-based COVID-19 vaccination clinic hours are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Although walk-ins are accepted, eligible village residents are encouraged to register with their respective mayor’s office. Up to 100 doses will be administered at each clinic location.

Homebound Vaccinations Continue February 22 – 24, 26
DPHSS, in partnership with MCOG, and GDOE, continues homebound vaccinations for those who pre-registered with their respective village mayors and met the eligibility criteria. Homebound vaccinations are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the following villages and locations: Monday February 22 in Santa Rita; Tuesday, February 23 in Yona; Wednesday, February 24 at the Adult Day Care; and Friday, February 26 in Barrigada.

COVID-19 Vaccination Schedule for February 23 – 26 at UOG Fieldhouse
COVID-19 vaccination clinics resume Tuesday, February 23 to Friday, February 26 at the UOG Fieldhouse. These clinics will prioritize those due for their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. Those due for their second dose of the vaccine may get their second dose up to four (4) days early. Due to limited supply, Pfizer-BioNTech first doses will be limited to 60 per hour for eligible individuals. No first doses of the Moderna vaccine will be administered. 

Walk-ins wishing to avoid long wait times are discouraged from arriving at the 1 p.m. hour. Average wait times during this hour are generally 2-3 times longer than those later in the afternoon or early evening. 

Upon arrival, individuals 70 years and older will be sent to the front of the line. Please bring a digital or hard copy appointment confirmation, a photo ID, and proof of Guam residency (Guam Driver's License, Guam ID, Green Card, US or FSM Passport, H1B or H2B visas for skilled workers). Those due for their second dose are reminded to bring their COVID-19 immunization card. This ensures quicker processing and proper documentation.

Enrolled Provider List for COVID-19 Vaccinations
In addition to mass vaccination clinics held at the UOG Fieldhouse, eligible Guam residents may contact any of the participating enrolled providers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine:

Public and private clinics and pharmacies may become enrolled providers after first agreeing to participate in the DPHSS vaccination program. Enrolled providers must meet federal storage and handling requirements for COVID-19 vaccines as established by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), designate staff to complete CDC online training and certification courses, and enroll to report vaccine administration through DPHSS Immunization Registry to meet CDC reporting requirements. Enrolled providers will continue to receive COVID-19 vaccination allocations from DPHSS monthly if the island’s vaccination allocation supply permits and if they continue to uphold these requirements.

Pre-screening Eligibility for COVID-19 Vaccinations

To take the COVID-19 vaccine, you must meet the following pre-screening eligibility criteria*:

• Must not be currently infected with COVID-19 or previously exposed within the last 14 days

• Must not have received any other vaccine, such as the flu shot, in the last 14 days

*Please note: If this is your first time receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, please make sure you have never taken other COVID-19 vaccine products. Please visit dphss.guam.gov to view the pre-screening eligibility.

V-Safe Vaccine Symptom Monitoring 
After receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, register for v-safe, offered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins. You can quickly report side effects, and depending on your answers, you may receive a call from CDC. V-safe will remind you to get your second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Sign up at vsafe.cdc.gov.

DOE Division of Food Nutrition Helpline
The Department of Education Division of Food Nutrition Service would like the public to contact them if there are any concerns with the Grab and Go (GNG) Meals. Patrons may call (671) 475-6760 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday to Friday or send an email to FNSMD-LEA@gdoe.net.

The GNG meals are to be consumed by the Friday of the week it was distributed for (i.e., If meals are distributed on February 19, they are to be consumed by Friday, February 26). This is to ensure optimal safety with food consumption for children 0-18 years. Please note the GNG meals must not be stored for longer than one week from the day it was distributed and received.

Please be advised the GNG meals are intended to be consumed by children between 0-18 years old and NOT to be sold, traded, or used in lieu of payment for any reason whatsoever.

GBHWC Crisis Hotline
The Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center (GBHWC) has a Crisis Hotline 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.