This Thursday, the Public Health Commission will evaluate the proposed measures of the Ministry of Health to face the next season of respiratory infections, among which it proposes a gradual tightening of the use of masks based on four risk scenarios.
The draft measures for the prevention and control of respiratory diseases with which Health will try to reach the consensus of all the communities in the Public Health Commission aims to “guarantee coordination between the territories” this fall and winter when the circulation of coronavirus, flu or respiratory syncytial virus (VRS), although it emphasizes that its prevention and control must be “relevant” throughout the year.
Despite the measures that the Minister of Health, Mónica García, wants to impose, she has assured that she hopes that the community implements “as many complementary measures as it considers appropriate” depending on its situation, which she groups into four risk scenarios: 0, 1, 2 and 3 or “very high” risk or even “pandemic”, in which “the adoption of “additional and exceptional actions that will be implemented in accordance with specific regulations” may be assessed.
The regional general directors attend the meeting with the intention of listening to and evaluating the Ministry’s approach, according to what the different ministries have responded to Efe.
From Health, García already warned last week that he would be “vigilant” to ensure that the recommendations for prevent “chaos” from being repeated that occurs every year in the health system and not having to “intervene” again as it did this winter by decreeing the mandatory nature of masks in health centers.
The four scenarios that the Ministry is considering will be classified according to a series of indicators – incidence rate, hospitalization, bed occupancy or ICU admissions, among others – that will be reviewed weekly to adopt the one that is most interesting in each situation.
Each one involves a battery of actions, but Health considers that some should be common to all of them, among them, recommend surgical mask and self-isolation if you have symptoms.
The mask is restricted to those over six years of age, except for those who have “some type of illness or respiratory difficulty” that may be aggravated by the mask or who, due to their disability or dependency situation, They do not have the autonomy to take it away. Nor will it be advised when “it is incompatible with the nature of the activities being carried out.”
Other prevention recommendations should apply throughout the season, such as vaccination, hygiene, “especially” hand hygiene; prioritize outdoor spaces, avoid crowds and properly ventilate spaces.
It also advocates reviewing and disseminating the contingency plans of the healthcare and socio-health centers to face an increase in cases that “guarantee continuity of care.”
From there, the document specifies more specific measures for each scenario, ranging from promoting teleworking to the recommended mask when you have symptoms, for workers in residential centers or for everyone in vulnerable areas of health centers such as treatment rooms. chemotherapy treatments or transplant units.
When the risk level is high (Scenario two), the recommendation will be expanded to people “whose occupations bring them into contact extensive face-to-face with the public» whenever they interact with people with compatible symptoms or confirmed cases.
Likewise, it will “actively” recommend people at risk in supermarkets, shops and public transport, cinemas, theaters, concert halls, gyms, dance halls or large outdoor events and on a “permanent” basis to all employees in “vulnerable areas”, but not to patients or residents, “assessing its mandatory nature in a general way or in the centers that are determined according to their specific situation and vulnerability.”
In health centers It will become “indicated” for both workers and patients and companions in waiting rooms or hospital emergencies, although its mandatory nature will also be assessed.
While in the maximum risk scenario, number three, other measures will be added such as strengthen coordination between different territories through the extraordinary convocation of the plenary session of the Interterritorial Council.
If necessary, “the adoption of additional and exceptional measures may be considered and will be implemented in accordance with specific regulations,” he concludes.