In response to the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre’s adjusted rules on the wearing of facemasks, which it announced yesterday and takes effect today, the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) underlined in a statement yesterday that visitors entering the city’s care homes for senior citizens and rehabilitation centres are still required to wear a facemask.
For social facilities or service programmes involving personal care, medical care and rehabilitation services such as nurseries, daycare for the elderly, home care, activities for the disabled and vocational rehabilitation, the statement stressed, staff members must still wear a facemask when providing direct services to the facilities’ users such as assisted feeding, diaper changing, assisted bathing or showering, wound care, sputum extraction, and other manual treatment.
The statement noted that staff members providing services for senior citizens and rehabilitation facilities for the disabled should pay special attention to the health conditions of their service users and arrange for facemasks to be worn when attending large events or entering crowded places.
The statement said that in the event of novel coronavirus cluster infections in social facilities, the requirement for their staff members, visitors and service users to wear facemasks when entering their respective facilities must be “dynamically” adjusted according to the actual situation, underlining that if service users of daycare, community service and temporary service facilities develop influenza-like symptoms such as fever, myalgia (muscular pain), sore throat, cough and runny nose, they should be required to wear a facemask and inform their family to take them home to rest and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Social facilities should also continue to routinely stock adequate quantities of facemasks and other pandemic-prevention materials in accordance with the guidelines issued by the bureau, according to the statement.
Courts require everyone to wear facemasks
Meanwhile, the office of the president of the Court of Final Appeal (TUI) announced in a statement yesterday that with effect from today all persons who present documents at the court’s offices, enter and participate in proceedings or attend trials at all levels of the court should still wear a facemask.
The statement said that taking into account the government’s adjusted rules for wearing facemasks and related guidelines, it was necessary for the courts at all levels to ensure their normal operation and the health and safety of all persons entering the courthouses in order to fulfil their judicial duties under the law, as well as to ensure the orderly conduct of scheduled court hearings.
The statement stressed that those entering a courthouse who feel unwell and have flu symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, sore throat, cough or runny nose must wear a facemask.
This undated handout photo provided by the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) last year shows the IAS “Blue House” headquarters on Estrada do Cemitério.
