“DO we have enough antigen [tests] for the community?” Tinian Mayor Edwin P. Aldan asked health officials Friday during the CNMI Covid-19 Protocol Forum at Kensington Hotel.
Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation Chief Executive Officer Esther L. Muna said the goal is to get antigen tests to those who are symptomatic, as well as those who are a part of or have close contact with the vulnerable population.
“We keep adding more tests because a lot of people are getting tested, and that’s great, but make a smart choice of when to get tested. That’s what we’re asking people to do,” she said.
“We had a situation where the demand was more than we could do in a day. We were expecting 200 and we saw about 800 in a day…. We wanted to make sure that the tests that we were getting were viable. We wanted to make sure that they were done at the right time.”
Muna noted that there have been issues with the SolGent test kits, adding that a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services lab expert will be coming from Guam to sort that matter out.
CHCC also contacted Rota and Tinian to get their respective lab equipment to be inspected by the HHS official.
“We have the test kits. We have the testing capability. We can test people if they’re sick. We can test people if they’re close contacts. I just want to urge everyone to please not send their staff to be tested just for the sake of you trying to see if they got a negative test after they’ve already gotten a positive test. That shouldn’t be a requirement. That’s what’s overwhelming the system. We’re asking for everyone’s cooperation,” said Muna.
In a separate interview with Variety after the forum, Mayor Aldan said, “I asked that question because Tinian is going through a surge right now, and I’m just concerned that people take these tests two or three or more times a week. I wanted to know if we have enough antigen tests.”
Aldan said Tinian has been using their supply of polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests, which, he said, were supposed to be a backup supply to really certify that a person is positive for Covid-19.
“I’m just concerned that we won’t have that verification or clarification anymore. We need these PCR tests to verify that a person is positive for Covid-19. That’s one of the reasons why we pushed the date for the Pika Fest on Tinian,” he added.
“Tinian is a small community. 29 people were positive [for Covid-19] in just a single day. That’s a lot for us. We haven’t had this much impact for two years. Now we have this surge,” the mayor said.
“I just hope that our people continue to practice the 3Ws and encourage their neighbors, friends, and family to do the same, and to also get the booster shot. Go and get your booster shot. That, in and of itself, won’t cure you, but at least it will prevent you from severe illness.”
Nearly the entire eligible population in the CNMI have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, with 54.4% of that population having already received an additional dose.
To view the schedule for Community-Based Testing, visit https://covidtesting.chcc.health
No code is required to register to get tested for Covid-19.
Pre-registration is highly recommended as slots are limited.
