Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at 2 p.m.
Cabinet (Large) Conference Room
Håfa adai!
We’ve come a long way in our battle against the deadly COVID-19 virus, but the reality is–our fight is not over yet. As seen in the latest data provided by the Joint Information Center, more people are contracting COVID-19. On Tuesday, we identified 44 new cases out of 764 tests performed, and our CAR Score today is 8.8.
While we continue to see a steady increase in numbers and an increase in our CAR Score, our hospital admissions remain manageable. Of the 9 people admitted to the hospital for COVID-19, only 1 is in ICU care. This silver lining is possible because of the over 104-thousand Guam residents who’ve been vaccinated to date. To each of you who has rolled up your sleeve and got your shots, I thank you for doing your part to protect yourself, protect the ones you love, and protect our community.
Today, I must report that in line with the recent increase in positive cases, we now have evidence that the delta variant is here. This morning, Public Health Director Art San Agustin informed me that of the 21 samples recently sent to CDC for sequencing, 5 samples came back with the delta variant. Of these 5 samples, 4 had no known travel. This tells us that the delta variant has spread within the community. The danger of the delta variant is that it’s more contagious, especially among our unvaccinated.
For this reason, I continue to urge everyone who is eligible to receive the vaccine, to get their shot today. Late last week, I mandated that all GovGuam employees get vaccinated. Earlier today, I welcomed the news that the Judiciary of Guam has followed suit and will also mandate their employees to get their COVID-19 shots. Now, I look to our sister branch, the Guam Legislature, to do the same.
While I am not here today to announce the reinstatement of restrictions, I am very concerned that we are headed in the same direction we were last August. Should our situation escalate, specifically with COVID-19 hospital admissions and the number of people requiring ICU level care, I will reinstate restrictions.
For the time being, I urge everyone to continue vigilance with mask wearing. If you are not actively eating, drinking, or engaging in physical activity, wear your mask. In line with this, I have asked Public Health and GPD to continue enforcing the mask mandate and to issue citations to those who fail to comply.
I also strongly encourage businesses and those hosting events to require vaccinations. This sends a strong message to patrons and attendees that we want to stay safe.
Protect yourself. Protect the ones you love. Protect our community.
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