COMMONWEALTH Healthcare Corporation Chief Executive Officer Esther L. Muna said although the laboratory testing specimens for Covid-19 will be able to cope with the influx of inbound passengers, it still needs the support of the government.
Recently, several newly arrived individuals had tested positive for Covid-19. CHCC said they were identified by travel screening and confirmed through testing on arrival.
The increase in testing has led to results taking longer to be obtained, Muna said.
CNMI Covid-19 Task Force Chairman Warren Villagomez, for his part, said the administration will continue to step up to ensure that the CHCC laboratory has the support it needs daily.
“We are increasing lab technicians… We are in contact with the resource company… as well as adding swabbers to CHCC… anticipating growth in the future in regard to the efforts that we do on a daily basis,” he said.
CHCC CEO Muna said there have also been talks on using an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine — either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna — to be given as a booster shot for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, based on guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration.
Muna said these Covid-19 vaccines are effective, but it is now a matter of how effective they all are after several weeks or months since receiving the last dose.
According to CDC, persons who can receive this third dose include recipients of organ or stem cell transplants who are taking immunosuppressive therapy; active recipients of treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies; people with advanced or untreated HIV infection; people who have moderate or severe immunodeficiency; or active recipients of high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress their immune response.
For a complete listing of conditions, visit https://www.cdc.gov
Muna said CHCC will offer a third dose of the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine next month to eligible patients at a Covid-19 mass vaccination site or the CHCC Immunization Clinic.
Consent forms for this third dose must be completed by patients at the time of vaccination for this third dose.
These forms will include a section in which the patient or vaccine recipient will self-attest to being moderately to severely immunocompromised and have already received two doses of an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine.
Individuals are encouraged to speak with their healthcare provider about their medical condition, and whether or not receiving this third dose is appropriate for them.
CDC said emerging data suggests that some people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems do not always build the same level of immunity compared to people who are not immunocompromised.
Additionally, some studies have found that fully vaccinated immunocompromised people have accounted for 40 to 45% of hospitalized breakthrough cases.
Immunocompromised people infected with SARS CoV-2 are also more likely to transmit the virus to household contacts.
When possible, the third dose of an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine should be the same vaccine as the initial series.
However, if the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine product given for the first two doses is not available or is unknown, either mRNA Covid-19 vaccine product may be administered.
The third dose must be administered at least 28 days, or four weeks, after the completion of the initial mRNA Covid-19 vaccine series.
There are currently no additional doses advised for patients who received a Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Covid-19 vaccine, nor does the CDC recommend additional doses or booster shots of a Covid-19 vaccine for any other population.
CHCC CEO Muna said several jurisdictions, including the CNMI, have questioned why there is no Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Covid-19 vaccine booster shot.
She also said that although vaccination is likely to increase protection, people, including the immunocompromised, should continue to follow the 3Ws: wear a mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance, to protect themselves and those around them against Covid-19, even after vaccination.
As of Wednesday, 76.9% of the eligible CNMI population, or 32,604 individuals, had been fully vaccinated.
1,332 more individuals need to be fully vaccinated in order for the CNMI to reach 80% herd immunity.
Esther Muna
