The Minister of People’s Power for Health, Carlos Alvarado, stressed that the main goal of the Bolivarian Government for 2021 is the vaccine against Covid-19, however, he warned that the country must be prepared for a possible outbreak of the contagious disease:
“At this moment we are in a situation where we were in a steady decline, then we entered a plateau of positive cases and in the second half of December there was an increase in cases. We also have a regrowth in Colombia, Brazil and Europe. It is to be expected that in January a regrowth may emerge in the country, ”he warned.
Likewise, he stressed that, despite this scenario, the Covid-19 figures reported in recent weeks are lower compared to other countries in the world, they represent the result of the success of the measures as a whole. “Measures began to be taken before the arrival of the cases. Due to our own limitation due to the blockade, we knew that if it happened here what happened in January and February in Italy and Spain, it would be terrible”, he emphasized.
In this sense, he assured that all preparatory measures were taken before the arrival of Covid-19 before the first cases that arrived on a flight from Spain, in March this year. He also asserted that the support of Chinese scientists was fundamental, as well as the decrees decided by President Maduro for the radical quarantine and the use of the face mask.
He also indicated that the massive return of compatriots from other countries represented a challenge for the country, despite the fact that the sanitary cordon was already installed: «That was the most important route of entry of coronavirus to Venezuela, which later passed to a community stage.»
Alvarado acknowledged that the Patria System and the house-by-house visits played a fundamental role in containing the spread of COVID-19, which was accompanied by an increase in the capacity of the health system, as well as an increase in the supply of supplies and medications.
To attack the new Coronavirus strain
Regarding the new strain of the coronavirus that is registered in the United Kingdom, he added that although this mutation still needs to be further studied, but assured that Venezuela has contemplated the protocols to search for people who may have been in that country, despite the fact that Venezuela does not have direct incoming flights.
In this way, he announced that if travelers arrive in the country with a negative PCR, another test is applied in the country as part of the protocol established by the Presidential Commission for the Control and Prevention of Covid-19. In this regard, the health minister assured that Venezuela currently has 7 laboratories for the processing of PCR tests.
Alvarado specified that thanks to diplomacy and the international operation, the country has received more than 500 tons of supplies and medicines to date just for Covid-19 cases: «In Venezuela, we treat everyone, regardless of nationality, but not in Colombia, because the health system is not free.»
Open Spaces for theater and culture:
The Minister of People’s Power for Health assured that culture and health are not disconnected, so he suggested looking for other spaces to be able to reactivate this important sector of Venezuelan society for 2,021.
He added that closed and air conditioned spaces, where theater and cinema generally take place, among others, are conducive to spreading infections. Hence the importance of evaluating performing these important activities in outdoor spaces.
