National Director of Health of the Ministry of Health of Panama, Nadja Porcell, said in an interview released by the Ministry of Health that no date for reopening the next block has been confirmed.
For the reopening, the corresponding analysis must be done, and it will be announced through the official communication channels of the MINSA.
Porcell stated that "...it is true that the 6 blocks have already been disclosed, and it was said that each block would last more or less [within] 14 days, and that the opening of the next block is due soon. But we must have completed the analysis of the effective reproduction rate which must be kept below 1 or at least one."
"We will make analyse together with the Advisory Commission of the Minsa, and then submit it to the cabinet so that the decision is collegial by the entire National Government Council, and then the official announcement can be done", she continued.
She also indicated that the opening of the blocks will be announced in a timely manner and coordinated by the President of the Republic, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Commerce and Industries.
Porcell mentioned also that in order to verify the opening of the next block, the effective rate of reproduction of coronavirus cases must be analyzed, which must be kept at one below one.
“The normalization process will be notified once the COVID-19 Control Advisory Commission evaluates the effective reproduction rate (RT), as well as the installed capacity for health and screening of COVID-19 cases, to then notify its recommendations to the Executive Branch that will evaluate other important criteria such as social and economic criteria," she stressed.
The clarification is made after Dr. Julio Sandoval, who is a member of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) on COVID-19, reported in a communication medium on the possible reopening starting next week of the second block.
However, Sandoval later clarified through his Twitter account that the probable progress in the opening of Block 2 is conditional to epidemiological indices and that the contagion rate remains low, adding that official communication about the opening of each of the blocks will be done through Minsa and the MICI official channels.
The second block includes activities such as the construction of public infrastructure prioritized and approved by the Ministry of Health (Minsa); non-metallic mining; the industry; and churches and places of worship, parks, sports areas and social areas.
Porcell stated that "...it is true that the 6 blocks have already been disclosed, and it was said that each block would last more or less [within] 14 days, and that the opening of the next block is due soon. But we must have completed the analysis of the effective reproduction rate which must be kept below 1 or at least one."
"We will make analyse together with the Advisory Commission of the Minsa, and then submit it to the cabinet so that the decision is collegial by the entire National Government Council, and then the official announcement can be done", she continued.
She also indicated that the opening of the blocks will be announced in a timely manner and coordinated by the President of the Republic, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Commerce and Industries.
Porcell mentioned also that in order to verify the opening of the next block, the effective rate of reproduction of coronavirus cases must be analyzed, which must be kept at one below one.
“The normalization process will be notified once the COVID-19 Control Advisory Commission evaluates the effective reproduction rate (RT), as well as the installed capacity for health and screening of COVID-19 cases, to then notify its recommendations to the Executive Branch that will evaluate other important criteria such as social and economic criteria," she stressed.
The clarification is made after Dr. Julio Sandoval, who is a member of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) on COVID-19, reported in a communication medium on the possible reopening starting next week of the second block.
However, Sandoval later clarified through his Twitter account that the probable progress in the opening of Block 2 is conditional to epidemiological indices and that the contagion rate remains low, adding that official communication about the opening of each of the blocks will be done through Minsa and the MICI official channels.
The second block includes activities such as the construction of public infrastructure prioritized and approved by the Ministry of Health (Minsa); non-metallic mining; the industry; and churches and places of worship, parks, sports areas and social areas.