José Apolinário visits ZAP installed at the Piaget Institute in Silves
The Secretary of State for Fisheries, now also coordinator in the Algarve region of the fight against Covid-19, José Apolinário, visited yesterday the Piaget de Silves Institute campus, converted into a Population Support Zone (ZAP) in this phase of the pandemic.
[dropcap type=”background”]T[/dropcap]he coordinator of the implementation of the measures for the declaration of a state of emergency in the Algarve region was accompanied by the Mayor of Silves, Rosa Palma, by the director of the Piaget Institute in Silves, Nelson Sousa, and by representatives of the other entities that have been involved in this. response to the Covid-19 pandemic in the county. During the visit, the government official had the opportunity to visit the spaces that now allow welcoming specific groups of the population at risk who need to be in isolation and welcoming and supporting, if necessary, elements of the Civil Protection and National Health Service (SNS) forces ).
The local strategy for the local fight against the pandemic was explained by the mayor, highlighting the equipment and procedures that were placed on the ground. The Secretary of State recognized the good practices implemented and congratulated the entities involved, stressing that government entities are attentive and available to continue to provide all necessary support.
With academic activities suspended, the academic campus of Silves was equipped, in record time, with 50 beds, the result of the synergy of many entities and companies, public and private in the region. In case of need, there is the possibility of reinforcing more beds. The transfer of the Piaget Institute’s facilities follows the decision of the Algarve municipality to create three ZAPs, in order to allow a quick response in the event of a worsening pandemic.
The proximity of the campus to the Silves Health Center was a determining factor in its transformation into a kind of field hospital, with the advantage that everything was done to guarantee some additional comfort for those who have to stay there. The other two ZAPs were installed in Pêra and Armação de Pêra, making it possible, in all three areas, to provide an extra 180 beds for people at risk.
In recent weeks, students and graduates of the various degrees (Nursing, Physiotherapy and Osteopathy) that are taught at the School of Health on the Silves campus have volunteered to collaborate in operations to assist the population, if necessary.
On the eve of the visit to the Silves campus, José Apolinário had already visited the ZAP installed at Basic School 2.3 Dr. António Contreiras, in Armação de Pera, to deliver some protective material, such as masks and disinfectant gel, and to clarify the local immigrant community on Covid-19.
