The Secretary of Health said that the epidemiological profile of each canton should be analyzed. In municipal campuses there are four confirmed cases of COVID-19.
With the increase in positive cases of COVID-19 In recent weeks, the Municipality of Quito urged the national Emergency Operations Committee (COE) to review the decision to resume face-to-face classes with 100% capacity, which is scheduled to begin on February 7 in the educational establishments of the Sierra and Amazon regime.
The Secretary of Health, Francisco Viteri, explained that the request is that the measure be analyzed, considering the epidemiological profile of the Metropolitan District, since until January 4, according to figures from the Ministry of Health, 188,833 confirmed cases were reported in the capital of COVID-19.
This is one of the resolutions adopted by the metropolitan COE, with which it was decided to maintain the level of epidemiological alert in orange in Quito.
“We are very concerned that in educational establishments the virus is being transmitted and this may spread. The exhortation is that it be reviewed according to the profiles of each canton, because if there is high transmissibility in a given canton, it is likely that there it will be necessary to make a progressive, blended or hybrid return (to classes) ”, commented Viteri.
Ministry of Education confirms that the 100% face-to-face return to classes schedule is maintained
The official clarified that the municipal education system follows the guidelines of the Ministry of Education. According to data from the council, in municipal institutions have already confirmed the infections of three students and a teacher.
“The idea of the letter is towards the entire educational system, because although the Municipality is 20 educational units, but in the city we have hundreds of public and private educational units,” he explained.
COVID-19 passport
Another suggestion addressed to the national COE is create a COVID-19 passport, in which all the information required for people to access certain services is collected in a single document.
Viteri described that this tool is already being used in several countries. It could even be used to use public transportation.
“Basically, it is a digital application that the person can have on their phone and a QR code is displayed on the screen, which has the information of the person. In some countries they operate a traffic light system; that is, when scanning the QR code, the screen turns green, yellow or red (depending on whether you have the complete vaccination schedule). If it is green, it is safe to drive. This is to streamline processes “, he detailed.
Sanitary brigades
The capital city has of the types of medical brigades. The first is a group of 26 screening points who are itinerant, in different sectors, and are in charge of carrying out tests to detect coronavirus. The second group is made up of nine active vaccination sites.
Viteri confirmed that due to the December festivities, it is expected that in the first weeks of January there will be an increase in infections and that this influences the situation that occurs in February. As the cases evolve, the screening and vaccination points will be reinforced.
Quito remains on an epidemiological orange alert; the capital registers an increase in infections by COVID-19
“In week 51 we had 848 records of people attended by the brigades, but in week 52 we already had 1,641 people. Because we are increasing the brigades. From Monday to Friday we are doing triage and vaccination from Monday to Sunday ”, said the secretary.
From the samples that have been taken through the municipal brigades, the 26.6% have tested positive for COVID-19.
Viteri pointed out that, according to the protocols of the Ministry of Health, people who wish to receive care can freely approach the brigades, but The tests, which are free, apply only to patients who require it after a medical evaluation.
“The test is for a person who has symptoms or who has been in contact with a positive person in risk conditions. It is considered a risk condition when, at least, 15 minutes have been spent without a mask in a nearby space. All persons who approach the triage points are evaluated to determine if they qualify for testing., either antigen or PCR, and it is performed immediately ”, explained the Secretary of Health. (I)
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