RECOMMENDATION: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY (COVID-19)

Recommendation No. 1/2023
Health and Wellbeing of the Academic Community

Covid-19 cases are once again increasing in Europe, with the World Health Organization warning of the worsening of hospitalizations across Europe, due to a resurgence of infections due to SARS-CoV-2 variants. In Portugal, from the second half of August onwards, there was also a significant increase in cases.

In this sense, the Management Council, meeting in an extended session, on September 19, 2023, approved the following recommendation to the academic community of the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria.

It is everyone’s responsibility to adopt behaviours that minimize the risk of transmitting the virus.

However, seeking to safeguard the health and well-being of the entire academic community of the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, it is recommended:

• Get vaccinated against COVID-19, unless otherwise recommended by your doctor;
• Wash and/or disinfect your 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 (example: presence of coughing, sneezing, runny nose), wear a face mask;
• Physical distancing for the most vulnerable people and for people not vaccinated with the full vaccination schedule;
• Keep spaces ventilated, preferably through natural ventilation;
• Ensure regular cleaning and disinfection of surfaces, especially those that are frequently touched;
• In case of suggestive symptoms of COVID-19, contact the National Healthcare Line 24 – 808 24 24 24 – or, in a complementary way, contact a Healthcare Center or the particular medical services that you usually resort to;
• Looking ahead to the coming months, with the arrival 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 continually updated, in order to respond to a possible unfavourable evolution of the Epidemiological Situation of COVID-19, with a view to minimizing the transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

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