The autocovid of the Recinto Ferial, which has been operating since October 2020, will be dismantled on April 30. From there, the tests will be carried out in the health centers and in the Molina Orosa Hospital, as announced by the director of the Lanzarote Health Area, Noelia Umpiérrez, on Radio Lanzarote – Onda Cero.
"The issue of cases and control will focus on vulnerable patients, hospitalized patients and deaths," said Umpiérrez, who stressed that tests will continue to be carried out, in addition to immunocompromised people, "on people over 60 years of age and pregnant women." She also points out that the family doctor could require the patient to have a Covid test if he/she deems it appropriate.
In addition, the director of the Health Area has explained that they will also meet to decide whether to continue screening people who enter the hospital. For the moment, she believes that it will continue to be done "throughout April", as she considers it to be a month of "transition".
Regarding the situation of a person who tests positive but is not considered at risk, and who is asymptomatic or manifests mild symptoms, Umpiérrez stresses that "they will not be told to do a strict isolation", but that they should "take extreme measures". In addition, she appeals to "common sense" to treat the symptomatology as with other diseases: "If you need to go to the doctor and request sick leave, you will go to your family doctor".
"It could be extrapolated to other diseases, if one has the flu one should do the same, avoid contagion and wear a mask, and that way the incidence of flu would also decrease," says the director of the Health Area.
However, Noelia Umpiérrez has clarified that in the event that a person tests positive for Covid, and works in an area of vulnerability such as a nursing home or a Day Center, the decision has been made that "they will not go to work for the first five days". "When they return to work, they will be given an antigen test that will have to be negative in order to return to work," explained the director, specifying that this measure is only intended for these cases.
The rest of the jobs, which do not require direct contact with people at risk, will be able to go to work using prevention measures. "If you are positive you can go to work, but it depends on the symptoms. If you are very ill, as in any disease, you will take sick leave," she clarifies.
A "turning point" in the pandemic
The elimination of restrictions against the coronavirus, which was announced by the Government of the Canary Islands last week, represents a "turning point" in the course of the pandemic, according to Noelia Umpiérrez.
In this regard, Umpiérrez assures that the relaxation of the measures in the last month, together with the opening of nightlife, or the extension of closing hours in the hotel industry, have not reflected "an increase in the incidence in the hospital".
"Right now there are two people in the Covid ICU, but one of them is not admitted for Covid, but tested positive when entering the hospital," said Noelia Umpiérrez, who also pointed out that in the Covid ward there are 9 people admitted, although some "for Covid and others with Covid", thus differentiating those who are due to the virus or, on the contrary, have another pathology and when doing the entry screening have tested positive in the test.
Noelia Umpiérrez recalled that the Government of the Canary Islands pointed out that the restrictions could return if "the situation worsened", although she insists that after weeks of relaxation in the restrictive measures, "it has not been reflected in the hospital".
