Brazil guide provides guidelines for safe return to classroom classes

Ministry of Health guarantees resource of R $ 454.3 million to support managers in returning to face-to-face classes regarding sanitary measures

School, Representative Image Alexandra_Koch by Pixabay

Sep 18, Health Surveillance: With the gradual return of some schools in the country, everyone should keep an eye on the recommendations of the Ministry of Health for the return to the classroom. A guide with guidelines for the safe reopening of primary schools was presented on Friday (18) by the Ministry of Health.

The material, with 16 pages, is available on the website of the Ministry of Health, and contains, for example, information on respiratory etiquette and the correct use of the face mask. It also suggests educational institutions to keep the environments clean and ventilated and to clean surfaces frequently, such as door handles, chairs, tables and handrails. The guide also advises that hands and wrists should be kept clean and that they should not be brought to the face.

The secretary of Primary Health Care, Raphael Parente said-

This guide is available to the population in accessible language. It is not a language for specialists, to understand the best way to return

Resources

The Federal Government transferred R $ 454.3 million to support the safe resumption of classroom activities in primary schools in all municipalities. These resources are being used, for example, to purchase face masks, 70% alcohol and cleaning supplies. And he recalled that the decision of whether or not to return to face-to-face classes is made by local managers. “These resources are to help in the safe resumption of face-to-face classes. The decision is made by the local managers, ”said the secretary of Primary Health Care, Raphael Parente.

Return to school guidelines

Some of the guidelines in the guide are:

- Use of constant masks by students, education professionals and anyone else who may access the school, in addition to face shields by education professionals.

- Keep the rooms clean and ventilated.

- Monitor the temperature of students and professionals when they arrive at the school environment.

- Guide hand and wrist hygiene before entering the classroom.=

- Limit interactions in large groups.

- Maintain a physical space of at least 1 meter between students inside and outside the classroom.

To comply with the recommendations, the guide suggests to schools, for example:

- Schedule the arrival and departure times of students and the interval between classes, limiting close contact between them.

- Place on the floor, along the school spaces, markings related to the distance of 1 meter.

- Increase the space between tables / chairs.

- Avoid group activities.

- Provide gel alcohol.

- Suspend the use of shared lockers.

The return to face-to-face classes of students with chronic illnesses - such as asthma, hypertension and diabetes -, syndromes, immunity dysfunctions and congenital heart defects must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis with the parents, health and education professionals.

Vulnerable populations

The secretary of Primary Health Care, Raphael Parente, also informed that a decree was published this week in the Official Gazette of the Union that provides for the allocation of R $ 319 million for the care of specific populations that live, for example, in shelters; community centers; night hostels; long-term care facilities for the elderly; socio-educational and prison units; and camps for Roma people and slum areas.

The resource can be used, for example, in the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for health professionals, tracking contacts of suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19, as well as to organize training for face-to-face care or home visits.

Other actions to combat Covid-19

The Ministry of Health has already delivered 11,106 pulmonary ventilators to states and municipalities and has enabled 13,563 exclusive ICU beds to treat the disease. 3,266 Service Centers and 91 Community Centers were also accredited throughout the country to combat the new coronavirus; and 15 million diagnostic tests were distributed.

The Ministry of Health has also invested R $ 2.3 million in psychological support for professionals working on the frontline of the disease, and announced that new calls will be opened to reinforce Primary Care with medical professionals.

When presenting the balance of actions, the executive secretary of the Ministry of Health, Elcio Franco, said that the curve of Covid-19 in Brazil has been decreasing and spoke of the work of the Unified Health System (SUS) complete this Friday (18) 30 years.

“The strength of SUS is present in the fight against the pandemic. Today, we have completed 30 years since the approval of Law 8080, which regulates SUS and its fundamental principles of equity, integrality and universality ”, said the executive secretary of the Ministry of Health, Elcio Franco.