RECOMMENDATION – HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY

Recommendation No. 1/2022

Health and Well-Being of the Academic Community

At the meeting of the Council of Ministers, on September 29, 2022, it was determined not to extend the alert situation in mainland Portugal, within the scope of Covid-19.

However, considering the data from the Monitoring Report on the Epidemiological Situation of Covid-19, of October 19, 2022 (DGS, 2022, p.1), it appears that, although the number of hospitalizations and mortality by Covid-19 show a stabilization, “transmissibility is considered to be increasing given the rise in R(t) observed in recent days”.

It is everyone’s responsibility to adopt behaviors that minimize the risk of transmission of the virus. However, seeking to safeguard the health and well-being of the entire academic community, it is recommended:

• Get vaccinated against Covid-19, unless medically recommended otherwise;
• Wash and/or disinfect hands frequently to ensure the maintenance and promotion of good hygiene practices;
• Adopt respiratory etiquette when coughing or sneezing: cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your arm and then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands;
• Whenever the risk of disease transmission is increased (examples: coughing, sneezing, runny nose), use a face mask;
• Physical distance for the most vulnerable people and for people not vaccinated with the complete vaccination scheme;
• Keep spaces ventilated, preferably through natural ventilation, opening doors and/or windows;
• Ensure regular cleaning and disinfection of surfaces, especially those that are frequently touched;
• In case of symptoms suggestive of Covid-19, contact the National Healthcare Line (SNS 24) – 808 24 24 24 – or, in a complementary way, contact an Healthcare Center or the particular medical services that you usually resort to;
• Looking ahead to the coming months, with the beginning of the autumn and winter seasons, it is suggested, as a good practice, that the Boards of the different organic units of the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, have the contingency plan continuously updated, in order to provide response to a possible unfavorable evolution of the Epidemiological Situation of Covid-19, in order to minimize the transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Leiria, October 20, 2022.

The Management Council

The President
Carlos Manuel da Silva Rabadão

The Vice-President
Pedro António Amado de Assunção

The Vice-President
Maria da Graça Lopes da Silva Mouga Poças Santos

The Vice-President
José Manuel Couceiro Barosa Correia Frade

The Administrator
Paula Marisa Lopes Gomes