Guam registers 139th COVID-19-related fatality
Pacific Daily News
The 139th COVID-19-related fatality occurred at approximately 7:08 p.m. May 4 at Guam Memorial Hospital.
The patient was a 70-year-old man with underlying health conditions. He was admitted to GMH earlier that day and tested positive upon admission, the Joint Information Center reported. Our grief continues as we mourn the loss of another to COVID-19. Though he is gone from our sight, his memory lives on in those who knew him, said Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero.
“All of us must do what we can to prevent further spread,” she said. “I was saddened to learn that none of these recent (people who died) were vaccinated. To the People of Guam, please get vaccinated to protect yourselves and your family. Vaccines save lives.
Pfizer looks to lower COVID-19 vaccine age to 12
By Jerick Sablan
Children ages 12 to 15 years old could soon be able to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
Pfizer Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla announced in a call to investors that the company is expected to hear back from the Food and Drug Administration on its application for expanded Emergency Use Authorization for the vaccine for those ages 12 to 15.
National media outlets reported the FDA is likely to authorize the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents within the next week.
The vaccines have been authorized for use only in adults and older teens. The FDA authorization would allow the Pfizer-BioNTech shots to be given to 12- to 15-year-olds for the first time, once the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also sign off.
Johnson & Johnson vaccine resumes in FSM
Pacific Daily News
The Federated States of Micronesia resumed using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after a pause over concerns of possible rare side effects.
The FSM s Department of Health & Social Affairs after careful review with partners such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has authorized the resumption of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine across the Pacific nation, the government announced in a news release Monday.
The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine was temporarily put on hold throughout the FSM while medical experts reviewed a possible correlation between female recipients of the vaccine with low platelets and blood clots.
To date, there have been only two hospital-associated COVID-19 outbreaks in Taiwan. Both were well managed resulting a total of 11 cases and zero death of health professionals.
By introducing public health control measures early and effectively, Taiwan also mitigated the economic impact of COVID-19. Taiwan implemented flexible adjustments for related quarantine measures for vessels and aircraft so that fisheries, offshore wind farms, and air transport industries could continue operations.
Taiwan’s GDP growth for 2020 was approximately 3.11%, with even higher growth of 4.94% in the fourth quarter.
In formulating disease control regulations, the government has adhered to the principles of reasonable response, minimum damage and gradual adoption. It has worked hard to maintain the balance between people’s right to know and personal privacy and freedom, actively responding to people’s wishes by upholding the principle of fairness at the same time as prioritizing the protection o
3 samples from Guam indicate presence of UK COVID-19 variant
Pacific Daily News
Results of three COVID-19 samples from Guam indicate the presence of a variant strain from the United Kingdom, according to a news release from the Joint Information Center.
The results, received Monday, identified the B.1.1.7. variant. The strain is considered a more highly more highly transmissible variant of SARS-CoV-2.
The virus samples came from travelers tested for COVID-19 at the government of Guam quarantine facility, according to JIC.
After testing positive, the travelers were kept at the government isolation facility. IN addition, all close contacts to these travelers were quarantined for 14 days before being transferred into the community.