The government of Rio de Janeiro temporarily suspended, as of this Tuesday (18), visits to patients hospitalized in the state’s public health network. The measure is necessary due to the increase in Covid-19 cases and the high transmission power of the new Ômicron variant, according to the State Health Department (SES).
“The measure taken by the government is correct, it is a highly transmissible variant. People have already been registered in the health services, infected, who are transmitting. And if there is movement of other people, who would be visitors, the tendency is that the risk of infection of other individuals will increase even more”, explained Gulnar Azevedo, member of the Brazilian Association of Collective Health and professor at the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro. January (UERJ).
However, the decision will not affect those accompanying children, the elderly, the physically disabled and patients with mental disorders hospitalized in the units.
To enter the health unit, these visitors need to sign a document declaring that they are asymptomatic. The Secretary of Health also clarified that the new measures were advised to the companions in advance.
Virtual visit
In order not to leave patients without meeting with family members, the ministry determined that health units should guarantee hospitalized patients to carry out a virtual visit with family members, at least twice a week.
Reference: CNN Brasil
