“I MUST say that what I have seen is a model public health response focused on science,” said World Health Organization medical epidemiologist Dr. Ali Khan on Monday regarding the CNMI’s Covid-19 response.
“The community working together is great evidence of that, not just in the vaccination numbers, but as I roam the streets and see all these stores and indoor places [with] everybody wearing masks, so it’s been an excellent response so far,” he added.
Khan has been on-island for a week, following the departure of Pacific Island Health Officers Association regional communicable disease epidemiologist Stephanie Kern-Allely.
According to Khan, the current layers of protection against the virus do not call for additional government restrictions or social gathering restrictions.
“If you have excellent other measures, you don’t need lockdowns,” he said.
The layers of protection begin with vaccination, he added.
“That’s the way out of this pandemic. Then you add indoor masking. You add testing on top of that. You add the ability of using antivirals that shorten clinical illness, gets you out of…isolation and quarantine…. So, if you start layering in all of those measures, and do those well, it keeps you out of a lockdown,” he said.
Health officials continue to encourage community members to “live Covid-19 safe” by practicing the 3Ws: wear a mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance.
In addition, community members are encouraged to avoid the 3Cs: crowded places with many people nearby, close-contact settings, such as close-range conversations, and closed spaces with poor ventilation.
The WHO advises individuals to avoid crowded places, limit time in enclosed spaces, maintain at least a one-meter distance from others, when possible, open windows and doors for ventilation; keep hands clean, cover coughs and sneezes; wear a mask if requested or if physical distancing is not possible; and to stay home or seek urgent medical care if feeling unwell.
