By Pacific Island Times News Staff
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero today advised residents to use face masks indoors, warning that "evolving variants " coupled with "waning health practices" contribute to the spike in new Covid-19 cases.
"To be clear: this is not a reinstatement of restrictions. This is a precautionary recommendation and a kind reminder that we each can continue to do our part in this phase of the pandemic," the governor said in a special video message.
Reiterating that the fight against Covid-19 "is not yet over," the governor noted that many places are now reintroducing health and safety protocols to stop the spread of coronavirus.
"On Guam, we know from our experience that our island is not immune to these global trends," the governor said. "In recent weeks, our local health care leaders have monitored a rise in new Covid cases and hospital admissions."
On July 20, the Department of Public Health and Social Services reported Guam's 377th Covid-related fatality, 150 new cases and 26 hospital admissions.
To date, there have been a total of 54,163 officially reported Covid cases on Guam since March 2020.
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The government lifted the face mask mandate and crowd limit in May.
"In consultation with our health care and hospital leaders, we are also strongly advising the use of face masks, especially in indoor settings," the governor said. "We advise all senior citizens and those with comorbidities, and the family members or service workers that care for these high-risk groups, to wear their masks."
She urged all businesses and government agencies, especially those in customer service, to recommend the use of face masks for both employees and patrons at your place of business.
"We remind everyone that in health care settings, including hospitals and clinics, masks remain mandatory for the protection of vulnerable patients and front liners," Leon Guerrero said.
She also reminded residents who are experiencing Covid symptoms to get tested.
"If you are taking a home test, don’t forget to report a positive result to Public Health and isolate at home for five days. If symptoms worsen, contact your health care provider immediately or seek emergency care," the governor said.
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