{"id":325657,"date":"2020-06-30T06:02:36","date_gmt":"2020-06-29T20:02:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=325657"},"modified":"2020-06-30T06:02:36","modified_gmt":"2020-06-29T20:02:36","slug":"cdc-nmi-among-lowest-in-us-covid-19-infections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/cdc-nmi-among-lowest-in-us-covid-19-infections\/","title":{"rendered":"CDC: NMI among lowest in US COVID-19 infections"},"content":{"rendered":"
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COVID-19 Task Force chair Warren Villagomez is joined by other members during a meeting of the House of Representatives yesterday. (IVA MAURIN)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The CNMI is among the lowest in terms of the infectious spread of COVID-19 in the United States.<\/p>\n

COVID-19 Task Force chair Warren Villagomez announced this during a House of Representatives meeting yesterday, citing an email he received from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the Department of Health and Human Services, based on a survey that the CDC has conducted.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom all the good reports that\u2019s been submitted to HHS and CDC with regards to efforts here in the Pacific\u2026we are at the lowest bottom [of the] totem pole in regards to COVID-19 infectious spread,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The survey result means that all the work and planning that the CNMI has been putting together is showing results, Villagomez added. \u201cWith all the efforts and planning that\u2019s been going on with CDC, HHS, and of course, the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., and the holistic government approach, making sure that everyone is engaged in this particular mission, we see the work that\u2019s been done and the fruition of where we are at,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The Commonwealth has yet to see the full effect of its COVID-19 efforts, particularly as the island has yet to open its doors to tourists. According to Villagomez, the task force has been wanting to come up with models and ideas to make sure that risks of a COVID-19 spread is minimized, for the community and for those entering the island, when the CNMI opens.<\/p>\n

The CNMI has a target date of July 15 for the reopening of its tourism industry.<\/p>\n

Quarantine relaxed?<\/strong><\/p>\n

With the recent upsurge of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. mainland, the confirmation of a second wave in South Korea, and the CNMI\u2019s reopening date moving closer, there are worries in the community that the CNMI government could be relaxing the quarantine protocols too early than it should be.<\/p>\n

Last week, the implementation of a home quarantine as an option for incoming passengers was announced, which drew mixed reactions from the community.<\/p>\n

Rep. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan) raised such a concern, saying that, as COVID-19 cases increase drastically in the U.S. mainland and elsewhere, quarantine restrictions in the CNMI, which have been successful, are becoming more relaxed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are aware of the risks,\u201d Villagomez said in response, adding that the restrictions can be tightened anytime. He added that the task force is being \u201cvery mindful\u201d of the monetary obligation that the CNMI government is being put into, regarding quarantine sites.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the best approach, where we\u2019re at now, sending residents home and doing self-quarantine based on our data, our numbers. \u2026We continue to learn different things every day, in approaches that we take, at the airport, the screening that we are doing, the entry point, the registration efforts,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Expanding testing to precincts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Further, the community-based testing is about to expand into the villages as the CNMI transitions into precinct-based testing.<\/p>\n

Villagomez yesterday appealed to the members of the House of Representatives for help in moving the testing to the precincts, to increase its accessibility to members of the community with limited mobility or access to transportation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need assistance at the precinct level, to coordinate precinct-level testings, to embrace and engage with our community to promote testing within the precincts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Villagomez also asked House Committee on Health and Welfare chair Rep. Jose Itibus (R-Saipan), also the House\u2019s COVID-19 Task Force member, to guide them to a point of contact in the Legislature to initiate the precinct testing. Help is also needed on the site that would be best, as well as in identifying the vulnerable population within the precincts.<\/p>\n

Villagomez also wanted to know how to meet the needs of those in the community who have no cars or those with language barriers. \u201cAt what level of coordination do we need to bring our community that hasn\u2019t been tested to be tested,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

As the COVID-19 Task Force works on the precinct-based testing, Villagomez clarified that the community-based testing has not stopped. \u201cIt is still ongoing. We haven\u2019t shut down testing. Just yesterday, we\u2019re doing community-based testing at Kanoa [Resort]. We coordinated efforts with the business community, it\u2019s still a moving effort.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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