Nursing homes are one of the biggest risk points in this phase of the covid-19 pandemic, as the director-general of Health, Graça Freitas, has been warning. In Braga, like the rest of the country, there are employees who are quarantined within the institutions themselves, many of them treating elderly people infected with the new coronavirus.
The alert is left by Altino Bessa, councilor of the Braga Chamber with the responsibility of civil protection, referring that there are “homes in Braga that live in dramatic situations”.
“At this moment, we have to show solidarity and look around, see the dramatic situations that live in homes, where there are employees treating infected patients, who are confined to that space 24 hours a day, seven days a week”, explains the city councilor.
“Some sleep on the floor, exhausted and full of fear, because they are in permanent contact with infected people”, he denounces.
The municipality had made itself available to pay for the tests (they cost around 100 euros each) to all users and employees of nursing homes in Braga, but this has not been possible, as the official explains.
“We have about 150 tests available per day, but only 20 to 30% are the responsibility of the municipality, which gives a very short number of availability”, he says.
Altino Bessa admits that, at this moment, tests are not being carried out in all homes, although they have already been carried out in places considered to be at risk.
We have houses on fire
The councilman reveals that there are “burning houses”, with several infected users, with deaths already accounted for and with exhausted employees and directions without knowing very well what will happen.
“We are trying to do it where houses are burning. Even yesterday there were no swabs in a home that is experiencing terrible moments. There are family members who see their parents and grandparents inside and cannot do anything, the elderly themselves, isolated 24 hours in a room, the employees … all of this is a huge drama ”, he emphasizes.
“We want to do tests, as many as possible, but not for everyone. This is at the national level. It is not only in Braga. There are no tests. We have to prioritize with indications from the DGS ”, he assumes.
ARS Norte must indicate the priority groups
Altino Bessa defends that the Government and the health authorities should appoint the priority groups to carry out this type of tests. “It is not only homes, health professionals, firefighters and police must be a priority”, he assumes.
“What I defend is that, at this moment, we have homes that are in a panic working with infected patients, with patients who do not know if they are infected, employees who do not know if they are infected, having to provide basic health care, hygiene, changing diapers, and failing to do tests to find out whether or not they have the virus ”, he highlights.
It asks the Government to “prioritize” those who are “at the forefront” in combating the pandemic, and to target the tests “to those who are most fragile and those who are dealing with the most fragile”.
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