People With Flu Symptoms Not To Be Allowed To Public Buildings
July 29th, 2009 | by admin |The ministrad de Salud, María Luisa Ávila, is asking businesses not to allow workers showing signs of symptoms similar to the AH1N1 and to use the right to refuse admission to visitors.
Ávila said that Article 155 of the Ley General de Salud supports the drastic measure to deny anyone infected with a transmittable disease entrance to a public or private building, like a school, a place of work, place of public meeting, etc.
The ministra added that employees should promote health standards to eliminate the spread of the virus, asking employees to wash their hands (correctly) often and to take care when sneezing or coughing.
The ministra explained that the sharing of tools and equipment at work should be limited, especially when it comes to the sharing of personal items like helmets, eyeglasses, gloves, etc. and avoid greetings with a kiss or a handshake.
Costa Rica To Buy Vaccine
The ministra added that patients in the high risk group and health workers will be the first to receive the AH1N1 vaccine when it arrives in Costa Rica.
Ministra Ávila explained that the country will buy the vaccine with funds from the Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS).
The first stage of vaccination will include 345.000 people, which includes 45.000 health workers (doctors, nurses, assistants, etc).
Ávila said the numbers are preliminary and will be fixed over the coming days. “We still do not have clear how many vaccines will be will request and we don’t know how may (vaccines) the OPS can negotiate”, said Ávila.
The vaccination program is to protect those in direct contact with the virus and those in the high risk group, like the obese, diabetics and smokers.
Five laboratories (two in Australia and three in Europe) are producing the vaccine and the first of such could be in Costa Rica September or October.
The vice-ministra de Salud, Ana Morice, explained that rich countries like the US negotiate the price of the vaccine directly from the manufacturers, while poor countries like Costa Rica have to rely on the OPS to negotiate the best price and make the purchases.
To date there are 24 deaths (21 confirmed), 668 confirmed cases of infection, 814 waiting test results. Since April 24, the ministerio de Salud has investigated a total of 5.422 cases of possible infection.
Of the 21 confirmed deaths, the majority are in the province of San José ( with 52%), followed by Heredia with 19% and Alajuela with 14%. Only one death has been recorted outside of San José, one in the province of Limón.
