By Johnnie Rosario
Don't mess up the momentum, Guam. The COVID Area Risk (CAR) Score - a simplified gauge that tells the public how risky it is to be around people outside your home - today dropped to 6.8.
That is less than two points away from the CAR Score of 5.0 Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero is eyeing to consider easing public health restrictions on residents and businesses. (Watch her and Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio's Thanksgiving message to the people of Guam below):
Ms. Leon Guerrero has said she is inclined to ease restrictions if the CAR Score can be maintained at or below 5.0 for a certain period. Dr. Felix Cabrera, one of the members of her Physicians Advisory Group, said he recommends that period last two weeks before the governor eases restrictions.
The CAR Score has been going down since it peaked at 41.5 two weeks ago. That was when two huge clusters of positive cases were reported from construction companies and community spread was on the rise. Those clusters have since been contained, according to Dr. Cabrera, and the data is showing community spread has slowed.
Officials, however, are worried this trend may reverse come Thanksgiving, when families likely will gather, and some will ignore advice to exercise personal responsibility against spreading the Coronavirus.
Dr. Cabrera offers the following Thanksgiving advice to help continue the downward trend going through Thanksgiving:
Ideally, don't visit someone else's home for Thanksgiving.
If you must host a party or go to a party, keep the festivities outdoors, where the air circulates.
If you have to host a party, at the very least, open the windows of the home to let the air circulate.
