08-01-2024, 07:42 PM
Radio Sintonia:
Masks become mandatory in all health centres in the Canary Islands.
The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands announces the mandatory use of the mask in all health centers of the Archipelago, despite the fact that the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System agreed today to extend until Wednesday the making of a general decision in all regions.
With this measure, the Canary Islands join other autonomous communities in which the mandatory use of masks in health centres has already been decreed. Until now, the use of masks was a recommendation for use in all Canary Islands Health Service centres since mid-December and now it is mandatory.
The regulation, which is transitory for the duration of the epidemic peak of flu and Coronavirus infections, will affect peripheral clinics, health centres and public and private hospitals throughout the Canary Islands.
This measure is taken given the growth of acute respiratory infections throughout Spain and to try to stop the chain of contagion, as well as to protect health professionals and people who go to hospitals and health centres in the archipelago to prevent them from contracting a respiratory infection.
In addition, during this morning's online meeting, the Canary Islands advocated agreeing on a strategy for the prevention of respiratory infections to avoid situations of health tension in the coming flu seasons.
Protective Measures
The Ministry of Health, and as a complement to the mandatory use of the mask in hospitals and health centres, also insists on the importance of maintaining the necessary protection measures in case of presenting symptoms compatible with the flu or COVID-19 to avoid putting the most vulnerable population at risk of contagion.
In this regard, it is recalled that if symptoms such as cough, fever, malaise, sore throat, congestion and runny nose, among others, occur, and to avoid transmission of the virus to other people, the main recommended preventive measures are:
Wear a mask when sharing the space with other people.
Increase the ventilation of the rooms.
Practice frequent hand hygiene, especially after blowing your nose or coughing.
Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough with your arm or a tissue.
Use tissues, throwing them away after each use.
Avoid very close contact with vulnerable people.
Do not share glasses, cutlery, towels and other objects that may have come into contact with saliva or secretions.
Vaccination Recommendation
The Directorate-General for Public Health also recalls the importance of vaccination against flu and COVID-19 as the main tool to prevent serious cases of these infections in the event of contagion and avoids the coexistence of the two infections in the same person, minimizing the severity of the disease in the patient and the stress to the health system.
In addition, it is insisted that the vaccine is the most effective means of avoiding contracting or transmitting the flu, especially in those people who are at risk of suffering complications in case of suffering from the disease and in personnel who are essential to the community such as health workers and caregivers of the elderly or dependents.
Each year, recommendations for influenza vaccination in autumn-winter are established for those population groups at higher risk of complications if infected, and for people who can transmit the disease to others who are at high risk of complications.
The aim of vaccination against the Coronavirus is to strengthen the protection of the most vulnerable people and that of health and social care personnel to reduce morbidity and mortality from the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the impact of this disease on health and social care capacity.
Incidence of influenza in the Canary Islands
According to the surveillance report on acute respiratory infection (ARI) in the Canary Islands prepared by the General Directorate of Public Health of the SCS for the week of December 25 to 31, the incidence rate of ARIs is 1,254.72 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. This figure represents a small decrease compared to the previous week, when a rate of 1,296.78 cases per 100,000 inhabitants was recorded.
The age groups with the highest incidence in the last week are the population aged 0 to 4 years with 4,408 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, people over 79 years of age, with a rate of 1,435 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and the population aged 5 to 14, a group with a rate of 1,600 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Masks become mandatory in all health centres in the Canary Islands.
The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands announces the mandatory use of the mask in all health centers of the Archipelago, despite the fact that the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System agreed today to extend until Wednesday the making of a general decision in all regions.
With this measure, the Canary Islands join other autonomous communities in which the mandatory use of masks in health centres has already been decreed. Until now, the use of masks was a recommendation for use in all Canary Islands Health Service centres since mid-December and now it is mandatory.
The regulation, which is transitory for the duration of the epidemic peak of flu and Coronavirus infections, will affect peripheral clinics, health centres and public and private hospitals throughout the Canary Islands.
This measure is taken given the growth of acute respiratory infections throughout Spain and to try to stop the chain of contagion, as well as to protect health professionals and people who go to hospitals and health centres in the archipelago to prevent them from contracting a respiratory infection.
In addition, during this morning's online meeting, the Canary Islands advocated agreeing on a strategy for the prevention of respiratory infections to avoid situations of health tension in the coming flu seasons.
Protective Measures
The Ministry of Health, and as a complement to the mandatory use of the mask in hospitals and health centres, also insists on the importance of maintaining the necessary protection measures in case of presenting symptoms compatible with the flu or COVID-19 to avoid putting the most vulnerable population at risk of contagion.
In this regard, it is recalled that if symptoms such as cough, fever, malaise, sore throat, congestion and runny nose, among others, occur, and to avoid transmission of the virus to other people, the main recommended preventive measures are:
Wear a mask when sharing the space with other people.
Increase the ventilation of the rooms.
Practice frequent hand hygiene, especially after blowing your nose or coughing.
Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough with your arm or a tissue.
Use tissues, throwing them away after each use.
Avoid very close contact with vulnerable people.
Do not share glasses, cutlery, towels and other objects that may have come into contact with saliva or secretions.
Vaccination Recommendation
The Directorate-General for Public Health also recalls the importance of vaccination against flu and COVID-19 as the main tool to prevent serious cases of these infections in the event of contagion and avoids the coexistence of the two infections in the same person, minimizing the severity of the disease in the patient and the stress to the health system.
In addition, it is insisted that the vaccine is the most effective means of avoiding contracting or transmitting the flu, especially in those people who are at risk of suffering complications in case of suffering from the disease and in personnel who are essential to the community such as health workers and caregivers of the elderly or dependents.
Each year, recommendations for influenza vaccination in autumn-winter are established for those population groups at higher risk of complications if infected, and for people who can transmit the disease to others who are at high risk of complications.
The aim of vaccination against the Coronavirus is to strengthen the protection of the most vulnerable people and that of health and social care personnel to reduce morbidity and mortality from the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the impact of this disease on health and social care capacity.
Incidence of influenza in the Canary Islands
According to the surveillance report on acute respiratory infection (ARI) in the Canary Islands prepared by the General Directorate of Public Health of the SCS for the week of December 25 to 31, the incidence rate of ARIs is 1,254.72 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. This figure represents a small decrease compared to the previous week, when a rate of 1,296.78 cases per 100,000 inhabitants was recorded.
The age groups with the highest incidence in the last week are the population aged 0 to 4 years with 4,408 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, people over 79 years of age, with a rate of 1,435 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and the population aged 5 to 14, a group with a rate of 1,600 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.