HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Myrna Murphy, 20, was the only one wearing a mask at the family’s recent Father Day’s celebration.
“That’s because I was the only one not vaccinated. They’re very strict so I had to wear a mask, and I understand it,” she said Friday, right after getting her first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at the University of Guam Calvo Field House vaccination clinic operated by the Guam Army National Guard.
Visiting family from the states also encouraged her to get the vaccine.
“Some family members tried to bribe me to get vaccinated because they care for me and the whole family. Some of them tried to bribe me with $100 but I told them I wanted to get vaccinated anyway. It’s just that my work schedule was keeping me from coming here, but I’m glad I’m here to get vaccinated,” Murphy said. “I’m doing this for my family.”
With her at the vaccination clinic was her boyfriend, Royce Santos, 23, who got fully vaccinated in June. He said he was there to offer support and encouragement.
The Guam Visitors Bureau and the Office of the Governor launched the Vax N’ Win vaccine incentives program to try to get more people vaccinated. The program offers the chance to win a new vehicle worth about $20,000 or a $10,000 cash prize every week.
Across the nation, some states are offering fully vaccinated people a chance to win $1 million cash or more.
First in the family
Selina Walter and Tina Quichocho, both employees at New Route 8 Mini Mart, each got their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on Friday, after they said they realized that rumors about the side effects of the vaccine were not true.
They said all the people they know who got fully vaccinated are doing just fine.
“I wanted Guam to be back to normal and I wanted to be part of it,” Walter said.
At their workplace, they are the last employees to get vaccinated, they said.
But in their individual households, Quichocho and Walter said they’re the first to get vaccinated.
Both said they will encourage their family members to get vaccinated.
Joel Haleyalit, 17, said were it not for the new school year with in-person classes, he may not have decided to get vaccinated. He’s an incoming senior at George Washington High School.
Haleyalit, the last in his household to get vaccinated, was with his parents, grandparents and other relatives, who all got their second doses of the Pfizer vaccine Friday.
His father, James Beiuweilish, 45, a security guard, said the family wanted to be better protected from Covid-19.
Beiuweilish and his wife said if flights to Yap resume, they may decide to travel. They said their future travel could be so much easier, with no quarantine, if they are fully vaccinated.
Joyannah Pico, 14, had her father, Fortunato Pico, 56, by her side when she got her second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
“I want to help protect my family, loved ones and myself, especially going into the next school year with face-to-face classes, and to be able to travel easier,” the younger Pico said.
She said her entire eighth grade year was spent online, and she looks forward to going back to in-person classes.
The older Pico said he got his second dose of the Moderna vaccine in March. He said, throughout the pandemic, he never stopped working.
“Since the pandemic started, I always made sure to take another shower when I get home because I wanted to make sure I’m not taking home with me any virus caught from working. Now my whole family is also fully vaccinated and that gives us more peace of mind,” Fortunato Pico said.
Byengmoon Jeon, 46, an engineer working at the new Guam Power Authority power plant in Ukudu, and his wife got their first doses of the Pfizer vaccine Friday.
The engineer said he travels between Guam and Korea, and being fully vaccinated would make that travel much easier because he won’t need to quarantine every time.
Herd immunity
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero’s Operation Liberate Guam goal is to fully vaccinate 80%, or 96,031 people, of the estimated 120,039 adult population 18 years and older, by the time the island celebrates its 77th Liberation Day on July 21.
As of Thursday, 92,212 people, or 76.82% of Guam adults, have been fully vaccinated.
This means 3,819 more adults still need to be fully vaccinated to reach the goal.
GovGuam has further expanded vaccination options to get more people to roll up their sleeves.
All senior citizens and individuals with disabilities who would like to request homebound Covid-19 vaccination are asked to schedule appointments by calling 311, option 2, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
This is on top of the Department of Public Health and Social Services clinics and mobile vaccination sites, private clinics, the tourism industry’s mobile vaccination sites and the Guam Army National Guard vaccination clinic.
UOG vaccination
The UOG vaccination site will be open from Monday to Saturday this week, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This is an expanded UOG schedule from the prior Tuesday-to-Saturday slots.
Other vaccination options this week include:
Hyatt Regency Guam ballroom in Tumon, 4 to 6:30 p.m., July 12
DPHSS Southern Region Community Health Center in Inalåhan, 9 a.m. to noon, July 13 and 14
Farmers Co-op Market in Dededo, drive-thru testing and vaccination, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., July 14
Astumbo Senior Center in Dededo, 9 a.m. to noon, July 15
Micronesia Mall, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., July 15 and 16.
Royce Santos, 23, gives moral support to his girlfriend, Myrna Murphy, 20, who received her first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine on July 9 at the University of Guam-Calvo Field House vaccination clinic.
