National Plan – Preparation and Response to Disease – New coronavirus (COVID-19)
Purpose and Objectives
Goal
Preparing the response and minimizing the impact of a COVID-19 epidemic in Portugal
Main objectives
Secondary objectives
DGS Services
All DGS services concerning Covid-19 can be downloaded from the DGS website here. This includes:
MITIGATION Phase
For the purposes of Covid-19 and healthcare Portugal remains at the the Mitigation phase. Phase
Over a year ago from 25th March 2020, hospitals and health centres adopted new rules to respond to this phase of mitigation.
Here are some of the changes that came as a result
What does the mitigation phase mean please?
It is the third and most serious phase of response to Covid-19 disease and is activated when there is local transmission, in a closed environment, and / or community transmission.
The answer is focused on mitigating the effects of Covid-19 and reducing its spread, in particular by minimizing associated mortality.
In this phase, the light patients stay at home, the moderates go to the health center , the serious, but not critical, are referred to hospitals and the critics are hospitalized
What changes, in practice, with the transition from the containment phase to the mitigation phase?
In the health infrastructure, the big change is that all public hospitals and health centres will be involved, as well as the private and social sector.
Is wearing of masks mandatory?
Yes. Outdoors when social distancing between people is not possible (crowded areas) and inside all buildings where public have access – 10 years old and over.
Should all suspected infections be tested?
People with a suspected infection, that is, who have symptoms such as fever, persistent cough or aggravated chronic cough, and difficulty breathing, should be tested.
Those with the presence of these symptoms, people should call the free telephone line SNS 24 (808 24 24 24), which will refer cases.
Try calling the SNS 24 line 808 24 24 24 OPTION 9 for English (the first option you hear) (It was previously OPTION 5)
This is usually very busy. As an alternative if you have a symptom and don’t know what to do the following may help?
“Evaluate Symptoms” is a feature on the SNS 24 website that allows citizens to assess their symptoms and obtain information and advice appropriate to their non-emergency health problem.
It is important to know that “Assess Symptoms”:
You will need to agree Terms of Use
https://www.sns24.gov.pt/avaliar-sintomas/
PRESS GREEN BUTTON and on next page Select Cov-19
https://www.sns24.gov.pt/avaliar-sintomas/?sc-consent=true
You then enter your personal details followed by symptoms and it provides you with recommendations to take.