Member Article

On June 1, 2020, the Ministry of Popular Power for Health (MPPS) issued Resolution No 090, which establishes the health regulations for social responsibility in the face of the pandemic called Coronavirus (Covid-19) in order to mitigate and eradicate the virus infections within the national territory. Said Resolution was published in the Official Gazette No. 41,891 dated June 1, 2020.

1. Purpose : to establish health regulations for social responsibility in the face of the pandemic called Coronavirus (Covid-19), which seeks to establish the necessary mechanisms to achieve the prevention of contagion. This regulation is addressed to all public and private persons.
   
   
2. Health Standards : every citizen must comply and enforce the following standards:
   1. Generate personal, family and social protection mechanisms.
   2. Abide by the epidemiological regulations issued by the MPPS.
   3. Report any personal, family or social case with health symptoms associated with Covid-19 to 0800VIGILAN or 0800COVID19.
   4. Attend the health facility associated with the nearest Comprehensive Community Health Area (ASIC) in case of any eventuality to receive free counseling and treatment.
   5. Protect the vulnerable population, namely: (i) adults over 65, and (ii) people with diseases that compromise their immunity. These groups will be under the special care of the Venezuelan State.
      
      
3. Measures: the following sanitary regulation is established:
   1. Mandatory use of the Mask: (i) the mask must cover the nose and mouth; (ii) it must be used in any transfer; (iii) reusable cloth masks are recommended, which should be washed and ironed; (iv) health personnel exposed to suspected COVID-19 patients should use the N95 mask, and (v) avoid placing the mask on surfaces that could be contaminated.
   2. Body hygiene: (i) the population should wash their hands frequently, and (ii) the population should strengthen measures to prevent respiratory diseases: cough or sneeze with handkerchiefs, social distancing of 1.5 meters, avoid meetings of more than 10 people, avoid physical contact in the greeting, avoid putting your hands to your face, avoid being in places without ventilation, periodically clean work instruments; change of clothing upon entering homes; avoid mixing alcohol and hypochlorite.
   3. If symptoms occur: (i) avoid leaving; (ii) must be reported to 0800VIGILAN or 0800COVID19, and (iii) in case of maintaining symptoms for more than 3 days or that they become worse, they must be reported to 0800VIGILAN or 0800COVID19, in the same way they should seek medical attention, and If necessary, proceed to their isolation in a health center conditioned for it.
   4. Hygiene conditions in the physical contact spaces:(i) the conditions dictated by the COVID 19 Presidential Commission must be respected; (ii) the municipal authorities and the regulatory entities of activities will be responsible for the supervision of compliance with health measures; (iii) health centers must carry out regular cleaning; (iv) work units that initiate activities must carry out cleaning, including workplaces, at least twice a day, with soap and water or 0.1% hypochlorite solutions, utensils and intake should not be shared of food or beverages cannot be made directly from the original container of the food or drink; (v) in areas of common use (sic - mass consumption product outlets and means of transportation) special vigilance must be given to sanitary measures; (vi) the maximum number of people for its use must be indicated in the elevators; (vii) maximize dispatch mechanisms by prior appointment and payment by electronic means, and (viii) minimize face-to-face meetings and replace them with videoconferences.
      
      
4. Epidemiological surveillance and timely attention: which corresponds to the MPPS as follows:
   1. The National Epidemiological System will be coordinated by the MPPS and will keep track of the epidemic. The ASICs will be the territorial instances of assistance.
   2. The Occupational Safety and Health Committees must carry out the control and reporting mechanisms instructed by the national authorities.
   3. In the event that a work unit authorized to start activities cannot guarantee compliance with sanitary regulations, it will not be able to start its activities until it can guarantee compliance.
      
      
5. Surveillance at airports, ports and border crossings: epidemiological care will proceed as follows:
   1. Any person entering the country should be evaluated upon entry, performing the screening test, and if possible, taking a sample for PCR.
   2. The person entering the country must be quarantined for 14 days at a Comprehensive Social Assistance Point (PASI); In the event that your tests are positive, you will be transferred to a health center to start your treatment.
   3. The investigation procedure will continue.
      
      
6. Refurbishment of sentinel hospitals: the national public health system will refine the sentinel hospitals, as well as the CDIs. The private component of health and the hospitality industry must maintain due coordination and protocols in fundamental humanitarian matters.
   
   
7. Measures to be taken by users of Health Service Provider Centers: in addition to general measures, they must comply with the following measures:
   1. Preserve social distance in all spaces of the Health Centers.
   2. Avoid consuming food and drinks.
   3. Ensure constant hand washing.
   4. Do not obstruct the spaces in order to guarantee adequate ventilation.
   5. Avoid going with companions; if necessary, a maximum of one (1) companion will be allowed.
   6. Allow taking your temperature.
   7. Verify the use of a mask.
   8. Dispose of the gloves in the trash after use.
   9. Comply with biosecurity measures, properly wash your hands before and after each consultation.
   10. Minimize your length of stay.
       
       
8. Regulations addressed to Health Services Provider Centers: they must comply with the following regulations:
   1. Keep staff informed about the pandemic.
   2. Inform users, through a billboard or other means, about the disease.
   3. Guarantee an adequate sanitary infrastructure: guarantee basic and sanitary services.
   4. Ensure adequate ventilation.
   5. Strictly comply with disinfection and antisepsis in all areas.
   6. Carry out the rearrangement of the spaces to guarantee social distancing.
   7. Take care of the health of all workers and guarantee their timely attention if necessary.
      
      
9. Instructions addressed to health providers: who must ensure compliance with biosecurity measures, in accordance with the following:
   1. Guarantee the distance of 1.5 meters, except in cases of direct assistance to a patient.
   2. Establish a preferential service schedule for people over 65 years of age.
   3. Systematically clean and disinfect waiting chairs or benches, at least twice per shift.
   4. Place informative banners with instructions on the virus and its prevention.
   5. Avoid wandering around the common spaces.
   6. Staggering of queries.
   7. Limit the furniture as much as possible.
   8. If the use of electromedical equipment is required, clean and disinfect them after each use.
   9. Disinfect the care spaces after each use.
   10. Carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection of all spaces.
   11. If you are in direct contact with suspected or confirmed COVID 19 patients, you must use:
       1. Mask;
       2. Gloves;
       3. Hat;
       4. Eye protection;
       5. Disposable gown, and
       6. Biosecurity suits will be used in intensive care units.

10. Municipal authorities: together with the health sector, they must be in charge of the daily cleaning of access roads and entrances of public health services; In the Sentinel Health Centers, the MPPS will issue the necessary instructions.
    
    
11. Additional measures to be taken in public and private work units:
    • On the part of the workers: (i) consuming food and beverages in the spaces designated for it, and (ii) any other that contributes to minimizing the effects of COVID 19.
    • By employers:(i) open to the public whenever authorized; (ii) restrict access for people with symptoms of respiratory illnesses such as fever, cough, sneezing, malaise, or diarrhea; (iii) prepare a registry of workers with chronic diseases; (iv) guarantee the functioning of the Occupational Safety and Health Committees, and their articulation with the ASICs; (v) restrict visits; (vi) equip themselves with hygiene supplies, namely: liquid soap, disposable towels, disinfectants, alcohol gel, and / or liquid alcohol; as well as closed containers or waste bags; (vii) ensure the availability of masks for workers; (viii) adapt the spaces to achieve social distancing; (ix) avoid unnecessary influxes to work centers; (x) decrease unnecessary travel;
      
      
12. Measures to be taken in the use of public transport: the transport sector, in each of its modalities, must ensure that public or private service providers, as well as its users, comply with sanitary measures, and additionally abide by the following:
    1. Establish the respective signage of social distancing at stops, stations or terminals.
    2. Perform temperature control upon entering the units.
    3. Access the periodic health assessment of workers by the health team of the Committee on Safety and Health at Work, or in their absence, of the clinic or health facility.
    4. Establish special points of control, education and permanent epidemiological surveillance in urban areas.
    5. Carry out its operations with the authorization of the municipal authorities.
    6. In private vehicles and taxi services, only three (3) people, including the driver, may circulate.
    7. In the land transportation and mass system units, passengers must maintain a position through distance. The use of continuous positions applies to family members who live in the same house. Regarding the rest of the transportation methods, the respective regulations will be issued by the respective ministries.
       
       
13. Measures to be taken in commercial establishments: the following measures must be taken into account:
    1. On the part of the users: (i) avoid contact with people, furniture or objects unnecessarily, and (ii) have a disinfectant product for their individual use.
    2. On the part of commercial establishments: (i) at the access doors they will have personnel who will take the temperature of the people who enter, and must ensure that they are hand washed or disinfected before entry; (ii) establishments may not have an occupancy density of their spaces of more than one (1) person for every two square meters (2m ²) taking into account circulation spaces. For these purposes, a maximum number of personnel must be foreseen; (iii) the premises that cannot comply with the previous measures must evaluate alternative measures for the care of their users, without their entering the premises, guaranteeing social distancing and the use of masks, and (iv) workers who manipulate documents or means of payment of the clients must use 70% alcohol solutions or gels after attending to each client.
       
       
14. Extension of measures: it is generally applicable for commercial, banking, transportation, work units, registration, notaries, religious ceremonies, among others. Everything not foreseen will be developed between the MPPS, together with the Offices of the Ministries that regulate special activities by their subject, to avoid the interruption of the services or activities that they carry out.
    
    
15. Surveillance of compliance with Health Standards: The Autonomous Health Comptroller Service, within the scope of its powers, will monitor compliance with these standards and apply sanctions if necessary.
    
    
16. Validity : from its publication in the Official Gazette.

 

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