Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero announced greater control of roadways and tighter social distancing requirements.

Residents will need to show why they are out on the road and it must be essential, she said. Residents will need to have a sign on their vehicle to say what they are doing, she said.

The government plans to implement the stricter measures on Tuesday morning, Leon Guerrero said. She said it would include checkpoints to make sure people are going where they say they are going.

The Guam Police Department and the Guam National Guard will be part of the enforcement, Leon Guerrero said.

She said there hasn't been any decision on what sanctions will be at this point, but the government is working on it.

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Leon Guerrero said this doesn't mean the island will be on lockdown or will be under martial law it's just an escalation of her current stay-at-home measures.

"I am using my authority to make sure we minimize exposure of our community so we can better control and eradicate the transmission of coronavirus," she said.

Social gatherings of any type will be prohibited to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19, she said.

More details will be provided later, she said.

"Now is the time for solidarity," she said.

Leon Guerrero said restrictions will stay in place until there signs that things are better. She asks everyone to do their part to make the cases go down.

She said she doesn't want to go to drastic measures like closing grocery stores and other businesses.

"I'm hoping we don't get to that point and I know we won't get to that point," Leon Guerrero said.

COVID-19 projections

Leon Guerrero's medical advisory council shared projections of COVID-19 to make people understand why the measures are needed. She said the data would startle residents, but the fear must make people take action.

"COVID-19 does not discriminate," she said.

Dr. Felix Cabrera said without implementing stricter compliance, Guam could suffer its greatest casualties since World War II.

The current trajectory, which shows a 20% decrease in the spread rate, shows 6,000 hospital beds will be needed at the peak, and total deaths after five months would be 3,000.

If Guam works harder, the island could achieve a 40% decrease in the spread, Cabrera said.

"We need all of you to do your part," the governor said.

Stay at home orders must be taken seriously by the people of Guam, Cabrera said.

Alternate care sites

Dr. Luis Cruz has been working with federal partners to identify alternate care sites.

Some sites include several parking lots, the University of Guam Calvo Field house, and the Guam Greyhound Park.

Dr. Hoa Nguyen said the island is at war with COVID-19.

"The enemy is invisible," he said.

Everyone needs to do their part and stay at home. If they need to go outside, they should use a mask and wash their hands, he said.

"Try to go out as little as possible," he said.

Leon Guerrero said people are not recovering as quickly as new cases are confirmed and she pleads to residents to heed her stay at home orders to do their part.

"If you do not need to go anywhere, stay home," she said.

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