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The General Directorate of Health (DGS) considers that the reorganization of circuits in hospitals and the preventive measures adopted make it possible to respect the right to visit of hospitalized patients and, in exceptional situations, may include covid-19 patients.
In a guideline published this Thursday, the DGS considers that the boards of directors of hospitals, Hospital Centers and Local Health Units must adapt the Visiting Regulations accordingly, being able, in exceptional situations, to allow visits to covid-19 patients, since “reduced to a minimum, either in number, frequency and visit time” and always with the necessary protection measures.
The number of visitors per non-covid-19 hospitalized user is, except in exceptional situations, one person per day, for a period of 30 minutes, preferably always the same visitor.
The DGS also says that hospitals must organize visits ensuring the time difference (by appointment), that is, to patients hospitalized in common rooms. In these cases, and when the patient is bedridden, only one visitor is allowed at a time.
When organizing visits to hospitalized users, the physical distance between visitor, user and health professionals, respiratory etiquette, correct use of a surgical mask and frequent hand hygiene must be respected.
On the other hand, according to the DGS guidelines, visitors cannot stay in the room or infirmary “during the performance of procedures that generate aerosols or during the taking of respiratory samples”, they must not use the sanitary facilities of hospitalized users, they must not interact with other patients or visitors and cannot bring and / or deliver personal items, food or other products to the hospitalized user without prior authorization.
They must also inform the health service or unit where they visited whenever, within the next 48 hours, they develop symptoms suggestive of Covid-19 or present a positive result for SARS-CoV-2 in a laboratory test.
Health units, for their part, must define duly marked circuits for visitors and companions, including the respective health facilities, in order to reduce unnecessary movement of people.
“When evaluating the local or regional epidemiological situation, it can be determined, in conjunction with the local health authority, the application of restrictive measures for visits or their temporary suspension, that is, in municipalities with extreme and very high epidemiological risk” , He says. the guide published today.
In the document, the DGS also recalls that users admitted to the NHS health services “have the right to religious assistance (which is not counted as a visit).” Visits to hospitalized patients had been severely restricted by the DGS in March due to the pandemic, and so far there has been no guidance to resume them at the national level.
Portugal represents at least 5,815 deaths associated with covid-19 in 358,296 confirmed cases of infection, according to the latest bulletin from the Directorate General of Health (DGS).
