By Nancy I. Maanao
Guam today registered a CAR Score of only 1.5, pointing to a drop in new infections and other factors that look promising for the public health situation.
It has now been 10 days of consecutive CAR Scores below 5.0, the threshold set by Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, when she explained to residents she would be inclined to ease restrictions if the score can be sustained at or below 5.0 for a certain period. Dr. Felix Cabrera, a member of her physicians advisory group, said the period should be 14 days.
"If Guam can get our CAR Score below 5.0 for at least 2 weeks, it will be the first step to significantly help relieve our hospitals and healthcare heroes,' Dr. Cabrera said. "It is already starting to show. They deserve this gift more than anyone. Furthermore, what we do know from the summer months is that sustaining a CAR Score below 2.5 long term was related to very little hospitalizations and no deaths. I know we can achieve this near ideal state once again soon."
According to tonight's report from the Joint Information Center, 13 new cases of COVID-19 were identified out of 627 tests performed Tuesday. Of the total 594 active cases, 37 are hospitalized, with 10 in the ICU, and eight on ventilators.
While the public health situation has been looking more promising over the past month, Dr. Cabrera says it's critical residents not let their guard down, because the Coronavirus still is out there. Indeed, of the 13 who tested positive recently, only four of them were identified through contact tracing, and one through the arriving passenger quarantine program. That means the remaining eight were through community spread. Dr. Cabrera also warns people not to place all their hopes in a quick vaccine solution, because the rollout will take time.
"To be clear, we should NOT expect vaccine rollouts to help us accomplish this level of control until well after Spring 2021," he said. "Until then, we must continue to Wear our masks, Watch our distance, Wash our hands, and have the Willpower to do so 💯%."
