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During this Wednesday’s session, the Minister of Health, Jaime Mañalich, announced that all older adults 75 years or older they should remain under quarantine nationwide. The measure will cover more than a million people who are above that age range.
Previously, it had been President Sebastián Piñera himself who had announced a mandatory quarantine on March 22 for all adults over 80 years of age or older.
Given the contingency, Minister Mañalich now announced the extension of the restriction, as will enter into force from 22:00 on this Friday, May 15.
Mañalich explained that there will be “a change in this quarantine age, which is reduced from 80 to 75 years. That is, anyone who is 75 years of age or older in the country must keep a mandatory quarantine, and we must have all the family, social or municipal measures so that these people do not come into contact with someone who could lead to an infection by coronavirus ”.
Likewise, he added that the objective is to avoid “hospitalizations, mechanical ventilation, and deaths, I want to remember that more than 25% of the deaths that we have had, are registered among people of 75 years or more “.
A million in confinement
According to the 2017 National Socioeconomic Characterization (Casen) survey, in 2020 there would be 1,017,950 older adults in Chile with 75 years or more, concentrated in the Metropolitan, Valparaíso and Bío Bío regions. Of them, 183,467 live alone.
Therefore, it becomes imperative to know the procedures to be able to assist and support this sector in the face of forced confinement.
In this sense, Virtual Police Station provides a temporary permit with a maximum duration of two hours that can be used for people to deliver food or basic necessities to older adults.
The permit can be used in quarantined sectors, however, it is not valid during curfew hours.
Respect measures
Enrique Paris, dean of the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad de Mayor and former president of the Medical College of Chile between 2011 and 2017, in conversation with La Radio he referred to prevention measures in general terms, where he insisted on social distancing.
“To insist on the social distancing, respect quarantine, respect curfew. (…) Use of masks on public transport, keep the distance of two meters, hand washing or use of alcohol gel, ”he said.
He explained that the measures should be reiterated “because it is the only effective weapon we have to prevent the spread of the virus. The virus has settled in the Metropolitan region, especially in the south west area, in the area with the greatest overcrowding and with the worst socioeconomic conditions, unfortunately. ”
“This obviously makes the growth rate (…) keep increasing. The only way to stop this is to maintain sanitary measures and obviously respect (…) so as not to bring the virus to older adults who are the ones who die ”he pointed out.
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