Type of Intervention: Guidance
Sectors Involved: Civil Defence, Private Sector and Businesses, Supply Chains
Intervention Categories: Social and physical distancing measures; Reopening offices, businesses, institutions, and operations
Level of Jurisdiction: National
Lead People/Agency: Ministry of Health (leading)
Ministry of Commerce, Chamber of Commerce and Labor Unions (implementing)
Overview: A government team and scientists presented the guidelines designed to achieve the return to the “new normal” in an orderly, gradual and safe manner after the pandemic by COVID-19.
The strict compliance with the guidelines, establishes the reopening on May 13 of a first block of companies that includes e-commerce, mechanical workshops and spare parts, technical services such as plumbers, electricians, air maintenance conditioners, elevators, pool maintenance, artisanal fishing and industrial aquaculture.
Other sectors such as education, air transport, hotels, restaurants, bars, non-essential (recreational) transport, sports leagues, entertainment and recreational sites, such as bars, remain without a defined date for opening. In the last block, also without defining a date, are: patron saint festivals, concerts, carnivals and discotheques.
According to the guidelines for the return to normality, companies must comply with five points to be developed in their protocols, such as the organization of a special health and hygiene committee in each public or private institution; they must also apply measures among their collaborators and clients such as hand washing, use of alcohol gel; use of masks; physical distance of at least 2 meters between people, cleaning and disinfection of areas.
According to the guidelines, companies must establish special hours, avoid the presence of vulnerable groups such as those over 60 and pregnant women in workplaces, as well as monitor the temperature of employees and clients.
Full details here: http://www.minsa.gob.pa/sites/default/files/publicacion-general/lineamientos_para_el_retorno_a_la_normalidad_de_las_empresas_post-covid-19_en_panama_vc.pdf
Other links: 1
Type of Justification: Advice of EXTERNAL expert advisor or advisory committee
Source of Evidence or Justification: World Health Organisation, National – academic
Evidence/Justification: The “new normal” is a process of gradual, asymmetric return, coordinated with the communities, which will be long and sustained over time and adaptable to the changes necessary according to the evolution of epidemiological data and the impact of the measures taken against the pandemic, the main criteria for the implementation of the “new normal” is the reproduction factor of the CoVid-19 (Ro).The Minister of Health explained that for a gradual lifting of the quarantine decreed in the country, not only the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is taken into account, but also other parameters such as the number of effective reproduction, lethality and response capacity. of the health system.