Guam Governor Joins Group of 15 Governors in Launching Governors Public Health Alliance to Safeguard Public Health, Strengthen Preparedness, and Coordinate Across Borders

Hagåtña, Guam - Governor Lou Leon Guerrero today announced that she is joining with other governors across the U.S. to launch the Governors Public Health Alliance, a new nonpartisan initiative bringing together governors across state lines to strengthen coordination, preparedness, and response on public health issues.

In coordination with Governors Bob Ferguson (WA), Josh Green (HI), Maura Healey (MA), Kathy Hochul (NY), Tina Kotek (OR), Ned Lamont (CT),  Dan McKee (RI), Matt Meyer (DE), Wes Moore (MD), Phil Murphy (NJ), Gavin Newsom (CA), Jared Polis (CO), JB Pritzker (IL), and Josh Stein (NC), the Alliance will allow states to explore data-sharing, align on guidance, and act quickly in the face of emerging health threats - from seasonal illness outbreaks to future global health challenges.

"On Guam, we see the effects when people, especially children, are not vaccinated," Governor Leon Guerrero stated. "We've had cases of measles and other communicable diseases when our neighbors from the outer islands visit or pass through Guam, and they haven't had the chance to be vaccinated. So we know how important it is to protect access to vaccines and other public health protective measures," added Governor Leon Guerrero.

The Governors Public Health Alliance will serve as a nonpartisan coordinating hub for governors and their public health leaders and a unified, cross-state liaison with the global health community. The Alliance also provides a platform for governors to exchange best practices, align policies, and coordinate on issues like vaccine access, emergency response, and health security.

The Governors Public Health Alliance supports national coordination on public health at the gubernatorial level - complementing existing mechanisms and interfacing with entities like the Northeast Public Health Collaborative/West Coast Health Alliance. The Governors Public Health Alliance will facilitate this cross-state collaboration by bringing together regional and other groups to share best practices and surface common challenges, elevating national considerations for vaccine procurement, policy solutions, and more. The Alliance welcomes further engagement across Governors' Offices and with public health associations and other relevant groups.

The rollout of this new Alliance builds on Guam's commitment to public health and ongoing work to strengthen responses to emerging health threats.

"Our Department of Public Health and Social Services Free Mobile Clinic, launched earlier this year, is part of our commitment to bring essential health and social service resources directly into the heart of Guam's communities, said Governor Leon Guerrero. "Joining this Public Health Alliance is one way to protect those services that our people so desperately need," she added.

The Governors Public Health Alliance is supported by the Governors Action Alliance (GovAct), a nonprofit, nonpartisan initiative that supports governors in protecting fundamental freedoms, including public health. The Alliance is advised by leading public health experts, including former CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen, former Alaska Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink, and Dr. Raj Panjabi, former White House Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biodefense. As an initiative of GovAct, the Alliance will also be advised by GovAct's Bipartisan Advisory Board of former governors and former senior federal officials.

"With many health threats at our doorstep, collaboration and communication between Governors is essential to protect the health of families and save lives," said Dr. Mandy Cohen, former CDC Director and former North Carolina Secretary for Health and Human Services. "This alliance creates the framework to support the national coordination needed to safeguard communities."

"Governors are being asked to do more with less-daily. And yet the challenges keep growing," said Julia Spiegel, founder and CEO of GovAct. "GovAct is here to help bring capacity, expertise, and know-how so that governors have the tools they need to act decisively, together, to protect the health and well-being of their people."

Participating states have already begun sharing best practices, receiving briefings from public health experts, and coordinating on executive actions governors can take to strengthen public health protections, including standing orders or directives to preserve access to COVID-19 vaccines.

The Alliance will provide governors and their teams with timely briefings, policy toolkits, and coordinated strategies to respond to major public health events and support consistent communication across states and communities.

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