Let me take a moment to make a personal reflection before reporting on covid news from Majuro. When the covid pandemic shut down schools and work and closed borders two and half years ago, I was revisited by a powerful kind of dread, a feeling that I worked through after my father unexpectedly died when I was younger. This dread was worse because I did not quite know what to expect but I knew I should expect something big. I also could do very little but worry about it and that worry grew. I worried for my friends who were far away and that I could not help without leaving my family. So, I stayed with my family and I worried about my friends. In those two years, the pandemic took away our ability to mourn together or celebrate, funerals and weddings. And, I waited for months to hear back from a friend who I thought must have died. I kept teaching and I started writing for Chikin Melele. And, now, half a world away, in Majuro, I know if I think through it that it will not be the same. It will not be funeral after funeral, 60 deaths in two months, again. But, I am finding it hard to sleep and I do not think that I am the only one. Who wouldn’t feel dread or anxiety, or worry that it will be like before, or even feel angry and want to know how it happened? Those feelings are normal responses to the trauma we all (some more than others but still all of us) endured.

With that said here is the update for August 12th 2022.

Minister of Health Jack Niedenthal has been posting daily RMI COVID-19 Situation Reports and professional updates to his personal Facebook page. All posts are public and you can read them there. V7AB interviewed Dr. Underwood and he explains more as well. You can watch that 16 minute video on YouTube. To summarize, though, there are well over 600 active cases in Majuro though it is still an undercount. People who have tested positive using a home test kit are reporting their active cases by email at covid19@rmihealth.org. Ebeye has reported about 20 cases but they expect to see an increase soon. About 30% of people going to Alternative Care Sites (ACS) have been testing positive. Niedenthal recommends that people with mild symptoms — cough, sore throat, low grade fever — stay at home, take Tylenol and wait it out. They can also make a cool compress out of a wet cloth and should drink plenty of water. Any serious symptoms like shortness of breath or altered mental states like confusion and disorientation is cause to go to an ACS or ER. In order to keep the hospital and alternative care sites open, MOH has called all healthcare workers back to work. 126 health workers were out yesterday with COVID, including all but one of their housecleaning staff and almost all of their immunization teams. They will be assigned to non-interfacing duties so that staff and volunteers who are not out with COVID can fill essential duties. Chief Secretary Kino Kabua, as leader of the NDC, has also called for volunteers.

There have now been two deaths related to COVID. An older man with numerous co-morbidities arrived at the ER dead on arrival (DOA). Niedenthal explains that this kind of death during a Covid outbreak is common, when people are already very weak the virus pushes them over the edge. He reports that 2 of the 8 hospitalizations are serious cases and receiving care in the Majuro Covid ICU ward. There also remains reports of illness, not yet confirmed as COVID, on outer islands, and MOH will be delivering supplies of testing kits and PPE to Jaluit, Aur, Arno, Maloelap, Mili and Wotje via Air Marshalls and in some cases by sea. In addition to the three Alternate Care Sites (similar to the Test & Treat Sites used in the FSM), the Laura Clinic has opened. It has also been packed.

Majuro has received antivirals from the FSM and American Samoa. In many ways, it seems that Majuro has had better access to vaccines and treatments that we have in the U.S. The collective lobbying effort of the US Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) including health officials from Guam, CNMI, American Samoa, Palau and FSM with the CDC, SPR, PIHOA and other health officials from the US is how the RMI was able to test early on in the pandemic and get vaccines even before most places in the US had them.

While there has been criticism of the National Disaster Committee, we should be encouraged by the extensive planning and immediate coordination. There have also been posts thanking front liners and thanking those who have volunteered, also people dropping off food and drinks for those working at the care sites. Chikin Melele is aware of several efforts to collect and send supplies including a concert tentatively planned for August 20th in Springdale, AR. The organizers have informed us that the Consulate will be helping to pay for the freight of donations — masks, hand sanitizer, small towels, tylenol, cough drops, etc. In response to inquires about sending items to distribute to the community, Niedenthal asked that packages be marked URGENT: FOR MOHHS COVID RELIEF: and addressed to The Ministry of Health & Human Services, PO BOX 16, Majuro, MH 96960.

Now, to address some of the criticisms. There was a boat that had departed from Majuro with students headed for Jaluit, Ebon, Maloelap etc. The students had already departed when the announcement of community transmission was made last Monday. On the boat for a day, they returned to Majuro where they were then tested for COVID-19 and cleared for travel. The 30 person delegation has also returned from Washington, D.C. as of last Tuesday. As it had already been discovered the day before that COVID-19 was in the community, the NDC changed the quarantine protocol for arrivals. Those who tested negative for COVID-19 were allowed to de-plane and return home without quarantine. There will no longer be institutionalized or monitored quarantine. The NDC has shifted from prevention to mitigation and arrivals are asked to quarantine at home or at a hotel. However, the RMI Safe Travels Program at this time is only processing medical/health essential workers and RMI residents who traveled out for medical purposes. There will likely be smaller inbound flights weekly or bi-weekly instead of monthly. However, there is debate in the cabinet and among the irooj about reopening borders for general travel. Borders will likely open sooner than October.

Niedenthal commented on how demoralizing harsh negative comments are to read on social media and has asked all of us for our support and consideration. We should be proud of them and how they are reacting to the sudden spread in these first few days. Let’s be kind and thoughtful of the questions we ask and how we express our criticisms, worries, and concerns.