The Cabildo of Lanzarote wanted to thank this Thursday, with an act that was held in the auto-covid located in the Arrecife Fairground, the "commendable work" of the health professionals who have been working in these facilities, which will be closed this Saturday, April 30 after just over a year and a half of activity.
"Now that the pandemic has subsided, now that the return to normality is absolute, we could close it without further ceremony, but we would not have been fair. No, because all of us who have some responsibility in public health are indebted to this service and to the staff who have attended it," said the Minister of Security and Emergencies of the Cabildo, Marcos Bergaz.
Bergaz has made a visit to the auto-covid accompanied by the Minister of Health of the first island corporation, Juan Manuel Sosa, as well as the director of the Health Area of Lanzarote, Noelia Umpiérrez, the manager of Health Services of the island, José Luis Aparicio, and the medical director of Primary Care, Aniuska Sutil.
In a subsequent press conference, the island councilor for Security and Emergencies recalled that this service was enabled at the Fairgrounds in October 2020, replacing the pre-existing facility located at the Doctor José Molina Orosa Hospital. "No one doubts that it has been a very positive initiative and applauded by the population, and an example of effectiveness in the fight against the pandemic," he stressed.
Likewise, Marcos Bergaz has extended the gratitude of the Cabildo of Lanzarote "to all the health personnel who have fought the pandemic with dedication and generosity" as well as "to all the essential personnel who have performed different tasks, facilitating our daily life." "They are a source of pride for Lanzarote and deserve all our respect and recognition," he added.
"We know that the future is uncertain, but I wish with all my strength that there are no new outbreaks that put people's health at risk and the limits of our hospital system and the health personnel themselves," concluded the island councilor.
More than 100,000 tests performed at the facilities
As reported by the director of the Health Area of Lanzarote, Noelia Umpiérrez, the health team of the auto-covid has performed 106,256 coronavirus detection tests in its year and a half of existence, of which just over 100,000 have been done in situ at the facilities, and the rest in other places such as nursing homes and schools to which the professionals moved.
As for the maximum number of health personnel who have been working in the auto-covid facilities has been 28 professionals (15 nurses, 6 orderlies and 6 nursing assistants), the team is currently composed of 20 people (11 nurses, 4 nursing assistants and 5 orderlies).
"This facility closes on Saturday, but they will continue working in the different health centers because the pandemic is not over," Umpiérrez recalled, who also thanked the "enormous work" of the health professionals on the island.
In this same vein, the Minister of Health of the Cabildo, Juan Manuel Sosa, who in addition to expressing his gratitude to the health workers and those responsible for the Canary Health Service on the island, has called "to continue maintaining prudence".
"Although the regulations say that we can start not wearing masks, we must still be very careful," said Sosa, who also wanted to highlight the "integrity" with which the population of Lanzarote has faced the pandemic.
