Andina

Peru's Health Min: Containment, the most important strategy to face second COVID-19 wave

Photo: ANDINA/Ministry of Health of Peru

Photo: ANDINA/Ministry of Health of Peru

14:10 | Lima, Jan. 26.

The most important strategy in the fight against the second COVID-19 wave is containment. Relying on a rapid diagnosis will allow the State to attend to people in the first phase of the disease and avoid requiring more complex measures, such as hospitalization and the use of ICU beds, Peruvian Health Minister Pilar Mazzetti affirmed on Tuesday.
 
On the occasion, the government official thanked an important donation made by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. It consisted of 75,600 SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests.
 
Likewise, the Cabinet member said these tests will be destined for primary care establishments, which are closest to the population, thus reinforcing the containment strategy.
 
The tests will be sent to the Directorates of Integrated Health Networks in Lima, Tumbes, Lambayeque, and Loreto regions.
 
Dr. Mazzetti indicated that antigen tests allow results to be obtained in a few minutes and without the need for a laboratory, thus allowing the containment of citizens who may have the virus and protecting their entire environment.

"The most important thing is to prevent more people from being exposed to the virus. That is a double task: of citizens, who must comply with the protective measures; and the State, which must provide whatever is necessary to ensure that people are not affected," she indicated.
 
Constant support



He added that the support between both countries will remain in place because this is a joint fight.
 
Also participating in the ceremony were Ambassador Maria Teresa Merino de Hart, Director General for the Europe Section at Peru's Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Florian Theus, head of the Cooperation Section at the German Embassy in Lima; Ana Isabel Moreno, Project Director at GIZ Peru; and Dr. Victor Cuba Ore, Director General for International Technical Cooperation at the Health Ministry.

(END) NDP/LIT/MVB

Published: 1/26/2021