Botucatu Health Surveillance…

This Thursday, 27thrresponsible for the Long-Term Institutions for the Elderly (ILPI) and Therapeutic Residences (RT) in Botucatu, participated in training to prevent and combat Dengue, COVID-19 and Influenza. The training was carried out by the municipality’s Health Surveillance Department (Health Surveillance, Environmental Health Surveillance and Epidemiological Surveillance) and the State Epidemiological Surveillance Center.

According to Luiz Francisco P. de Moraes, Head of the Municipality’s Health Surveillance Division, the objective of the action was to seek to improve institutions, to provide better care for elderly residents of ILPIs and RTs, in addition to training people to be dengue firefighters in institutions in which they work.

“The role of the brigade members would be to map the property’s risk, that is, to make a list of containers and places that can accumulate water and become possible breeding grounds for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits dengue fever. Afterwards, the brigade members must carry out a weekly inspection of the institution, based on the mapping done previously and, if they find something wrong, they must provide a solution to the problem; either by eliminating stagnant water or using alternative treatments such as the use of bleach, detergent or washing powder, as per the guidelines of Valdinei Moraes Campanucci, Coordinator of Environmental Health Surveillance”, explained Luiz Francisco.

O Coordinator of Environmental Health Surveillance, Valdinei Moraes Campanucci presented the epidemiological scenario of Botucatu, explained the forms of transmission and prevention of dengue, symptoms of the disease, characteristics of the mosquito and its possible breeding sites.

The director of the Botucatu State/Region Epidemiological Surveillance Group, Maria Salete C. Moreno, highlighted the importance of seeking medical attention in case of symptoms such as fever, body pain, headache and red spots on the skin, so that the patient is advised and receives appropriate treatment. She highlighted that there is no vaccine for dengue available for the elderly and therefore the focus should be on combating the mosquito that transmits it.

Regarding Influenza and COVID-19, Maria Salete informed that, in addition to vaccination and use of a mask, hygiene measures must be maintained, such as washing hands, cleaning door handles, handrails and other objects on which elderly people may place their hands. hands and cleaning the environments where the elderly stay.

The Health Surveillance Team distributed a checklist with possible breeding sites to be included in the risk mapping and inspected weekly. He also distributed a folder with important points in the fight against Aedes aegypti, COVID-19 and Influenza.