Portugal has conditions to drop the use of mandatory mask in closed areas as early as April
April 3 was appointed by the director-general of Health, Graça Freitas, as the day on which the country will be able to take the mandatory measure against the transmission of covid-19 – the use of the mask in closed spaces – Last week some specialists and the own chairman of the doctors already thought that such a decision is not recommended at this stage. The reasons given are: the rise in Rt (), the transmissibility index – the country maintains a daily average of 10,000 to 12,000 cases – and the fact that lethality remains in the red line. On the other hand, there is a new wave progressing in several European Union countries, namely in Germany, Austria and France.
However, Raquel Duarte, a pulmonologist who leads the team of experts that has supported the government in managing the pandemic and phases of deconfinement, ensures that the country is prepared to let go of this reputation. “Not to say that after the end of this obligation there will be no increase in cases. Because SARS-CoV-2 continues in the community and transmission is possible, but the country is the epidemiological community that will follow an evolution. days we should reach 20 deaths per million inhabitants, which will allow us to survey the measures that exist safely, which, in the end, is just one, the use of mask in interior spaces”, he argued.
The doctor, which is also the research area of the Regional Health Administration of the North, supports this position with the data obtained from the monitoring and evaluation of the disease. “The disease continues to be monitored and what is observed is that it is absolutely controllable in terms of hospitalization”, she guarantees. Or rather, “it is controllable in its severe forms, thanks to the relationship, with that we have now seen the increase of the logo after Carnival, which had repercussions on internments”.
As underlined, “the only risk indicator that remains high is lethality, but this is also a stabilizer”, he justifies. Raquel Duarte defends that “her equipment is not comfortable, in which the population can have a normal life with SARS CoV-2”. thousand cases a day, as revealed in the latest weekly bulletin from the Directorate-General for Health on the disease.
But an alert that leaves the community: “The virus will continue actively without risk of transmission”, “the virus that has, at this moment in Europe compares with other European countries is a controlled situation from the point of view” of the severity of the disease, the allowing the withdrawal of mandatory measures”.
It’s one thing to stop being mandatory, it’s another to not use it.
From the point of view of this equipment of experts, “the country no longer needs mandatory measures, but that each citizen has the perception of the risk they run and that they protect themselves”, says Raquel Duarte, emphasizing, however, that “the fact that The use of a mask in interior spaces is no longer mandatory, it places the onus on individual responsibility and on institutions, because it is one thing to stop being mandatory, and another to stop being used”.
There are conditions in which the measures are no longer mandatory, but do not consider that some measures – and not only the use of a mask, but also the distance and hygiene of the hands – leave it is very important for the population to be aware, because if it is in a risky, closed environment with a lot of people, a mask is essential to protect myself and others”.
The pandemic is not over yet and the distance from the measures that have proven to be able to reduce transmission, therefore, “the decision to use or not will have to be taken by each citizen, after evaluating the risks they run”.
Therefore, “these we have, yes, they are not examples, since we all know that we can be colleagues at work or family or friends meetings, without a mask and that the distance also has to be maintained”. Most. “Easter is coming, if you have the symptoms, don’t be reunited with your family. 2 as for the flu or tuberculosis,” she says.
Institutions should invest in air quality
The pulmonologist also defends other aspects: “We will continue to have epidemic waves, but only if we have an increase in new cases of severe forms of the disease will we have to take a new step back and adjust the measures”, reinforcing: “The end of mandatory It’s final to talk about it, only when one day we go back and realize that it’s over, that will probably determine the end.
For now, “the important thing is that we have some security guarantees, such as the protection that the country has and the vaccination knowledge that each of us also already has about the protection measures.”
But regardless of the epidemiological situation in the country, Raquel Duarte insists on an aspect that her team has been referring to as fundamental since it does not have support for the management of the pandemic, which is the air quality of spaces, whether work, commercial or leisure.
“The population does not have to take greater risks because the spaces are poorly ventilated, because the space to air is often the risk reduces the savings. investment in indoor air quality is now more important than any other measure”.
However, he argues, “despite everything, Portugal’s position was always one of greater prudence”. The country maintained what was maintained as economic activities with some security. It was helpful in reducing transmission.”
At the moment, we are in a safer phase and “the last remnant can be lifted”.