Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Scientific Committee shared its suggestions for suppressing the epidemic by making a statement about the COVID-19 global epidemic, which increased its impact after "controlled normalization".
The statement of the Scientific Committee is as follows:
“In the COVID-19 global epidemic, our country became the first country with the highest number of cases in Europe and the fourth in the world due to the highest number of cases and deaths announced before reaching the peak of the third peak of the 1st wave.
The increase in the transmission rate of variants of the virus (new mutations) causes an increase in the number of cases and the spread of the disease in the society in an uncontrolled manner.
The most important reason for the occurrence of variants is that the virus circulates between people. The lower the spread of infections in the community, the less likely variants are to spread, so preventing each COVID-19 phenomenon is critical. Besides 'vaccination' and 'containment' measures, 'active surveillance' are the most effective measures against the variant virus.
The measures to suppress the COVID-19 global epidemic should be taken quickly, the practices of the countries that succeeded should be followed and the relevant professional organizations, expert associations, etc. Cooperation should be made with institutions and all segments of the society, and everyone should be ensured to participate in the process.
Our Recommendations for Suppressing the COVID-19 Global Pandemic:
• 4-Week Full Shutdown
- Full closure should be provided by giving full wages to all employees working in the informal and unregistered fields and minimum wage to the unemployed,
- Production should be stopped, all workplaces should be closed except in areas that are necessary for living.
- Entry and exit restrictions should be imposed to high and very high risk provinces, especially the transportation between the provinces where variants are common should be restricted and strict follow-up should be ensured,
- Measures should be taken to prevent infected people from entering the country:
- High-risk countries and / or regions should be identified, updated, and entries from these regions should be completely stopped for a while,
- A negative test result document must be sought for entry from all countries or the test must be made at entrance,
- Entry from countries where variants are common should require pre-entry testing, post-entry testing, quarantine and post-quarantine testing.
- In high and very high risk provinces, more than 6 people should not be allowed to come together in closed areas other than mandatory business branches, especially in health institutions,
- The rules should be applied equally to everyone, and privileges should not be defined.
• Common and Multiple Tests
- Primary healthcare services should be strengthened in order to catch and isolate asymptomatic patients,
- In order to reach the test, the condition of 'complaint' should be removed,
- As before 13 November 2020, samples should be taken from homes, schools and workplaces where cases were detected, and possible sources and positive contacts should be found and they should be isolated for appropriate periods,
- The number of daily tests should be increased to more than 300.000, and reliable systems suitable for high number of tests should be provided for this,
- Test areas other than hospitals should be established in high and very high risk provinces,
- Test designs that will enable rapid scanning and identification of known variants should be made applicable in authorized laboratories,
- Mutation tests should be selected according to the patients' clinical information and contamination-contact histories, and the results should be examined,
- In order to trace new mutated viruses that may occur in our country, national laboratory networks for full genome analysis of viruses should be established.
• Rapid Mass Vaccination
- While it is known that the vaccine, which is the most positive development of the global epidemic process that caused the deaths of millions of people, loss of jobs and income, and the loss of billions of children for more than a year, will both end the epidemic and reduce serious diseases and deaths, it should be ensured that safe and effective vaccines are rapidly applied to all segments of the society,
- Vaccination should be made available to active employees as soon as possible,
- Campaigns such as 'The vaccine is safe', 'The vaccine protects', 'The epidemic will end with the vaccine' should be made, and the society should be directed to the vaccine, which breaks the prejudices developed against the vaccine, ensures that the vaccine is safe and protective, and explains its side effects.
• Public Authority's Transfer of Information to the Society
- Access to data during the COVID-19 pandemic should be provided without restrictions,
- Information about the process should be shared clearly and clearly in a way that every segment of the society can understand,
- The importance of compliance with public health measures should be emphasized:
Correct use of masks, physical distance, compliance with cleaning rules, staying home for more than 15 minutes in crowded and closed areas, staying home as much as possible, delaying unnecessary travel, minimizing social relations, ventilation of indoor environments, ensuring absolute compliance with the recommended isolation and quarantine times, etc. .
In the measures to be taken to suppress the COVID-19 global epidemic;
• 'Building a fairer, healthier world' its purpose should be observed,
Every person in Izmir;
- Access to safe food and clean water
- Healthy living conditions
- Access to healthcare
- Right to have adequate education,
- Sufficient income to meet basic needs, job protection, workplace rent, bill payments, etc., without being left in the 'I should work so as not to starve' or 'I should not work to avoid illness'. Efforts to overcome business problems should be supported,
- While it is known that the highest number of deaths are among health and support services workers, groups who have problems with access to personal protective equipment and in-service training should definitely be supported.
• Effective and scientific management of the global epidemic process should be ensured with the participation of all segments of the society in the decisions taken and implemented with the contribution of organizations such as labor and professional organizations, specialist associations, NGOs, patient rights associations, in cooperation with the healthcare professionals and institutions of the society, and with participation from the local to the center.
• 'Take Personal Protection Measures (mask, distance, cleaning), avoid close contact with people, stay in closed, not ventilated environments, even if you are vaccinated or have the disease. VOLUNTEER QUARANTINE apply 'etc. The public should be reminded of their contribution in overcoming this process with campaigns.
These measures to be taken to achieve our goal of 'Healthy Individual, Healthy Izmir, Healthy World' will enable us to overcome the global epidemic. " Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Scientific Committee
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