Concern over the dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases in U.S and, therefore, the potential focus of contagion in Puerto Rico through the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport were the points of discussion yesterday at the meeting that the governor had Wanda Vázquez Garced with the Health Secretary, Lorenzo González Feliciano, and members of the medical task force.
Also, in the conclave the medical team warned of a decrease in the use of masks as a preventive measure against the spread of this virus and emphasized that its compulsory use in all public places be emphasized to try to minimize the transmission of this disease in the general population.
“The mandatory use of masks is the only thing that can contain the virus,” said Dr. Pablo Rodríguez, director of the Trauma Hospital and a member of the medical advisory group in La Fortaleza, who was present at the meeting.
According to the doctor, the flexibility in the use of this mode of protection is what has caused contagions in the United States to have shot up to a level almost out of control in states such as Florida and Texas, among others.
In fact, the United States yesterday registered some 40,000 new positive cases of COVID-19, which represents the highest number of confirmed infections in the country in a single day.
Rodríguez added that, in the meantime, Puerto Rico is running out of life in seeking greater control at airports to identify possible cases of this disease since, if no solution is found, the achievements that have been achieved with the curfew and other virus prevention measures will be lost.
“One of our weaknesses is that we have not achieved control of the airport”agreed Dr. William Méndez, director of the Department of Surgery of the Medical Sciences Campus (RCM) of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and member of the Medical Advisory Council of La Fortaleza.
He recognized that the intensity with which cases have increased in the United States raises a red flag and in their analysis of the situation they noted that the common factor lies in the absence of the character of the use of masks.
“We recognize that it is desirable to put stricter controls at airports, but there is no point in making recommendations and not being able to implement them“He said referring to the legal obstacles that Puerto Rico faces because it is a territory of the United States and does not have control of the airport.
Méndez informed that the group favors the implantation of the model that was established in Hawaii, where as of August 1, travelers will be required to present a diagnostic test of the virus with a negative result as an entry requirement to said state. Otherwise, they would be subject to a mandatory quarantine for 14 days.
“We are still in the process of evaluating different things that are consistent with what can be done within the (permitted) legal environment, but mandatory testing of entering passengers would be ideal,” Méndez said.
He added that some exceptions could be allowed, for example in people who have to travel urgently, as in the case of the death of a relative. He stressed that, outside the claws of the law, many components would have to be voluntary and depend on the person’s good faith, honesty and willingness to cooperate.
“We are trying to put the puzzle together, for example, to analyze the laws that regulate the territories versus those of the states, where we suppose there are some differences. So we ask the governor for an evaluation of the legal framework to see the differences between Hawaii and Puerto Rico, “he said.
Concerned about reopening of movie theaters and childcare centers
Mendez warned that the administrative order of the Family Department on the reopening of care of children left out some details, particularly the guidelines for the care of children from zero to three years.
“(Childcare) is one of the areas that needs to be watched more closely and we made some recommendations,” he said.
As for the cinemas, he said they want “them to evaluate their air conditioning systems and make sure of the compulsive use of masks, which perhaps collides and is not consistent when (people) are consuming drinks and food.”
For his part, Dr. Segundo Rodríguez Quilichini, Rector of the RCM of the UPR, anticipated that the group will soon launch a massive educational campaign highlighting the importance of the use of masks as a measure of protection against this disease.
“We are going to have a new role in education (of this message). We know that in other states there have not been many restrictions on the use of masks and we have to strengthen their use, ”she insisted.
Through Wilmelis Márquez, Health press spokesperson, it was reported that the Health secretary would not advance any of the topics discussed in the meeting he had with the governor on Friday, which he described as “a normal work meeting prior to a administrative order ”.
Meanwhile, the governor is expected to announce the new executive order to control the risk of COVID-19 contagion in Puerto Rico at any moment.
In past orders it was stressed that everyone should wear face masks, a cloth scarf, or other material that covers the area of the mouth and nose. Likewise, other preventive measures against this virus were requested, such as maintaining a minimum space of six feet between people and avoiding unnecessary crowds.
Furthermore, it was established that any non-compliance would entail the implementation of criminal sanctions and fines, including imprisonment of not more than six months and / or a fine not to exceed $ 5,000, as stipulated by the court or any applicable law.
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