After Minister Schillaci’s order on the obligation to wear a mask in hospital and Rsa, family doctors are working to draw up the new rules on the use of the protective device in medical surgeries. The attempt will be to standardize the rules throughout the country.
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The ordinance signed yesterday by the Minister of Health Speranza confirms that from 1 May there will be a easing of rules for hospital masks. The measures will be in effect until 31 December 2023.
According to the provision, the use of anti-Covid-19 protective devices will be mandatory to enter the health departments which “they host frail, elderly or immunosuppressed patients, especially if with a high intensity of care, identified by the Health Departments of the health facilities” and for the “users and visitors of social-health and social-welfare facilities, including hospitality and long-term care facilities, health care residences, hospices, rehabilitation facilities, residential facilities for the elderly, including those who are not self-sufficient”.
With regard to the obligation for healthcare workers and visitors to wear a mask in waiting rooms or in other departments of healthcare facilities, the ordinance establishes that the choice “remains at the discretion of the Health Departments, who can order their use also for all those who present respiratory symptoms”.
No similar measures are foreseen regarding “connections and hospital spaces in any case located outside the hospital wards – reads the order – as far as medical surgeries are concerned, the decision on the use of respiratory protective devices remains at the discretion of general practitioners and pediatricians of free choice”.
Covid Bulletin, 23,132 infections and 156 deaths from Coronavirus in Italy in the week from 21 to 27 April: the data
They don’t have the obligation to wear a mask either children under the age of six; people with pathologies or disabilities that are incompatible with the use of the mask, as well as people who have to communicate with a person with a disability so as not to be able to use the device.
What’s New for Doctors’ Clinics
The changes also concern medical clinics. The family doctors of Fimmg, the Italian federation of general practitioners, are already working to develop homogeneous operating criteria to be adopted in all practices. Schillaci’s ordinance in fact entrusts them with the possibility of evaluating the best solutions, also based on the characteristics of the individual spaces
“This is the first time in history – he comments to beraking latest news Salute Sylvester ScottiFimmg national secretary, thanking the minister – that a provision recognizes the role of general practitioners comparable to that of a medical director. But discretion does not mean anarchy, for this reason – he announced – we will shortly give uniform lines, also in order not to create conflicts between patients”.
“We are working on a document that contains guidelines on the models of behavior to adopt. Criteria that will be based on the spaces and characteristics of the doctor’s office, i.e. if there are multiple rooms, multiple entrances, if the waiting room has windows that guarantee continuous exchange of air; and which will keep in mind the period we are experiencing, as we are the first ‘sentinels’ who monitor all phases of the various seasonal epidemics. They will therefore be operational lines that we will send to our members and on which we will ask for validation of the ‘Higher Institute of Health‘.
Scotti then reiterates the importance of giving uniform criteria for all outpatient clinics in the area with an example: “Let’s think of a study where there are three family doctors and everyone decides different rules. Controversies and conflicts would arise between patients if some were forced to wear a mask and others were not. And honestly in this period of discussions, even violent ones, we think ai no vax, in our studies we have seen many, too many “.
The new rules for swabs in the hospital
As regards the obligation to swab for entry to the emergency room, the order of the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci leaves room for decision to the health departments and the regional authorities.