JIC RELEASE NO. 26 - DPHSS Services: Operation Challenges Delivery of Senior Meals; Information Unit of the Senior Services Branch Discontinued - 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.

DPHSS - Home-Delivered Meals Re-routed
The Division of Senior Citizens within the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) has been advised by its Home-Delivered Meals Vendor that due to operational challenges, some areas of service for Home-Delivered Meals to homebound seniors are being rerouted for pick up at designated Senior Citizens Centers.

Home-Delivered Meals Service Areas Affected
The service areas affected by this operational challenge are:

Agat
Chalan Pago
Dededo
Mangilao
Santa Rita
Sinajana
Tamuning-Tumon-Harmon
Yona

Family members are asked to pick up the meals for the affected areas at the following Senior Citizens Centers:

Village	Center
Agat	Agat Senior Citizens Center
Chalan Pago and Sinajana	Sinajana Senior Citizens Center
Dededo	Dededo Senior Citizens Center
Mangilao and Yona	Mangilao Senior Citizens Center
Santa Rita	Santa Rita Senior Citizens Center
Tamuning-Tumon-Harmon	Tamuning Senior Citizens Center

Drive-Thru Service
Upon arriving at the Senior Citizens Center, the family member will remain in their car. The program staff on site will guide the family members to form a line of cars to Drive-Thru the designated point to pick up the meal for the senior they are there for. Meals can be picked up starting at 12:30 p.m. with the last pick up at 1:45 p.m. For additional information, contact: S.H. Enterprises, Inc. at (671) 649-9716 or (671) 649-9727. Phone lines are operational Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

DPHSS - Information Unit of the Senior Services Branch Discontinued
In light of the recent developments of cases testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, the Information Unit of the Senior Services Branch will no longer operate at the close of business on March 23, 2020.

Effective tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24, 2020, staff of the Division of Senior Citizens will focus on coordinating Home and Community Based Services to support our seniors and their caregivers to remain in their homes, respond to Medicare inquiries via phone and email, and respond to cases of alleged abuse against our elders and adults with a disability.

You may contact the Division of Senior Citizens at (671) 735-7415 or (671) 735-7421 or by email to Chad Palomo at chad.palomo@dphss.guam.gov or Evelyn Manibusan at evelyn.manibusan@dphss.guam.gov.

Medical Triage Hotline Numbers for COVID-19
If you are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, please call your healthcare 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:

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

These numbers are operational daily, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and are limited to medical-related inquiries only.

DPHSS Counseling Hotline Numbers for COVID-19
DPHSS recommends that those feeling distress or anxiety due to the pandemic call the Counseling Hotlines, which provide live crisis counseling. The phone lines are multilingual, text capable, and confidential:

(671) 988-5375
(671) 683-8802
(671) 686-6032

These numbers are operational daily, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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

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. 26 - DPHSS Services: Operation Challenges Delivery of Senior Meals; Information Unit of the Senior Services Branch Discontinued