PAHO proposes to close the Capital of the DR for a week or more

Greater Santo Domingo and Santiago must be closed, says PAHO

Santo Domingo, DR

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) understands that at the critical moment of the Covid-19 epidemic in the country, there is a need to establish a total quarantine of one or two weeks in provinces such as Greater Santo Domingo and Santiago. Among others of high incidence, it would be a timely action that the new government installed yesterday could establish.

According to the international body, another urgent measure is the democratization of diagnostic tests for Covid-19 at the national level to guarantee mass access for the population without having to go to Santo Domingo, Santiago, and other places that register high demand and therefore high levels of congestion.

Regarding the National Laboratory, Dr. Defilló sees it very necessary to proceed with its automation and start a regular educational program for the population on handwashing, using a mask, and the physical distancing that must be maintained.

The suggestions were presented by Dr. Marcos Espinal, Director of Communicable Diseases and Environmental Determinants of PAHO in Washington, when he participated as a guest in the “Appointment with the Covid” by the director of Listín Diario, Miguel Franjul. This is an initiative that takes place every week at 9:00 pm Listindiario.com.

Critical state

When analyzing the country’s situation in the face of Covid, Dr. Espinal said that the Dominican Republic is in critical condition because, for a few days, the curve is lowered. Still, then the peaks come, so there is no stability in behavior, so there is no flattening of the curve.

He recalled that the Dominican Republic has a high positivity rate of over 30%, while the recommendation is less than 10%, especially less than 5%, while the country has never had less than 20%. Bed occupancy is still very high, although he said good things had been done.

He stated that no country has real data on the incidence of Covid.

It is the critical moment of Cumbre

Apuesta del Listín.

Referring to the Covid summit that Listín Diario has been proposing, the PAHO executive understands that it is ideal for it to be convened.