Andina

Peru's Health Min: COVID-19 is moving from streets to homes

Photo: ANDINA/Difusión.

Photo: ANDINA/Difusión.

15:32 | Lima, Aug. 18.

Families have become the new transmission route for COVID-19 in Peru, which is why people must avoid attending social gatherings or having visits from people outside their household, Health Minister Pilar Mazzetti warned on Tuesday.

"Where is the virus now? It is moving from the street to our homes, our families. We are going out to work, which is a human necessity because we need to live, but if we are not careful, we will bring the virus home. Families are the new transmission route," she said.

The top health authority said that —unfortunately— people are being infected not only when going to work but when attending family gatherings or even parties, putting at great risk the people who live with them.

"If we are going to meet with two or three people in a house, we must remain apart from one another, wear a face mask, and we will be fine," the Cabinet member explained.

"But if more people get together, if we have a party and have fun for a few hours (...), it would be very interesting to see what happens to the partygoers 15 days later, given that, during the party, we remove our face masks, we keep in touch with other people and, right after that, we bring the virus to our home and family," she added.

According to the minister, these behaviors put the elderly people at risk and cause children to be infected with COVID-19.

Mazzetti also affirmed that the mandatory social immobilization on Sunday has shown the great importance of reducing the movement of people. 

(END) KGR/RRC/RMB/MVB

Published: 8/18/2020