With test kits now on island, and a strategy to expand COVID-19 testing to the community being developed, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres is asking for just one thing from everyone: please be patient.<\/p>\n
The governor said that the COVID-19 Task Force, with Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. chief executive officer Esther Muna, has been aggressive in trying to find ways to conduct the testing, stressing that \u201cultimately, that\u2019s always been our goal\u2026to do community-based surveillance testing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Torres said in an interview that they have reached out to the Kagman Community Health Clinic, and has been working, too, with the mayors of Rota and Tinian, on how to best approach both communities. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re just asking the community to be patient on the process, and be patient on how we conduct this test, taking samples of the specimens. I hope that we can get through this soon, and as seamless[ly] as possible,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
CHCC clarified over the weekend that, for now, the request for testing is being prioritized for first-responders who are providing care for COVID-19 patients, as well as for Commonwealth Health Center employees providing direct patient care. Only community members who have an identified level of risk are currently being tested for COVID-19.<\/p>\n
Torres added that more COVID-19 supplies are coming in, and thanked all federal partners, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Defense, for the assistance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope we never get to use these supplies. I hope we never get to use the ventilators. But for the number of ventilators that have arrived, and that are in the works, we\u2019re in definitely a better position than we were yesterday,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The task force, according to the governor, wants to continue to bring in more supplies and equipment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you look at what\u2019s going on across the world, and our side of Asia, they\u2019re going through a second wave of pandemic. That is a great concern for all of us, especially out here on the islands,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have good folks that are working on the ground. There\u2019s good people, people that really take care and do care about our island. \u2026First responders, nurses, and doctors, we\u2019re doing all we can to provide safety to our community.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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