The Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) decided to suspend, for an indefinite period, part of the activities planned for the Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neurosciences (IIN-ELS) and the Anita Garibaldi Health Education and Research Center (CEPS), as a preventive measure. to the new Coronavirus.

The measure was announced this Friday (13) by the general director of the Institute, Reginaldo Freitas Júnior, after State confirms the first case of the disease in Rio Grande do Norte.

With the decision, all activities that would involve larger groups are suspended, including training, meetings and a colloquium that was scheduled for students and employees on Monday, the 16th. Visits to the facilities will also be suspended during the period. 

Classes

On Tuesday (17), the ISD decided that in-person classes will also be suspended indefinitely and will take place, while the restrictions last, via digital platforms. 

Possible defenses and qualifications, in turn, are maintained, but with a restricted audience. Only the student who will be evaluated and the examining board will be able to participate.

Outpatient care will not be affected. But prevention guidelines will be given to users by professionals during clinical meetings.

Prevention

“There is no reason to panic, but the moment requires preventive measures to protect employees, students and users. Our main mission is to take care of people and we hope to soon resume all our activities without any losses”, says the general director of ISD, explaining that the decision is based on the fact that the Institute is a reference center for caring for risk groups ( elderly people with comorbidities, high-risk pregnant women, immunocompromised people, children with neurological diseases, prematurity, etc.).

The ISD serves an average of more than 100 people per day at CEPS, in the Epilepsy clinics (child and adult); Parkinson's; Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); Spinal cord injury (child and adult); Microcephaly; Hearing Impairment (child and adult); Prematurity and Neurogenic Bladder. At IIN-ELS, it hosts Brazil's first master's degree in Neuroengineering and develops, in addition to research, rehabilitation treatments through the SUS.

The Institute created a commission to monitor and evaluate measures related to coronavirus, aiming to maintain the safety of the institutional community and keep it updated on the recommendations of the health authorities.

The Special Commission for the Covid-19 Pandemic, as the commission was called, is chaired by the general director, Reginaldo Freitas Júnior, and includes the participation of infectious disease doctors Carolina Damásio Santos and Manoella Alves, nurse Erianna Macedo, in addition to the director administrative Jovan Gadioli and unit managers Edgard Morya and Lílian Lisboa.

The Coronavirus

The Ministry of Health explains, in official page, that the Coronavirus is a family of viruses that cause respiratory infections and that the new coronavirus agent was discovered on 12/31/19 after cases were registered in China.

With the rapid spread of the infection around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic for Covid-19.

Health authorities emphasize that there is no reason to panic, but they reinforce the need for basic hygiene measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Care

Washing your hands with soap and water or alcohol gel 70%, using a disposable tissue for nasal hygiene, covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing and throwing it in the trash are among the general recommendations, for example, from the Ministry of Health. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth unless your hands are also clean.

At ISD, employees and health professionals must pay extra attention to detecting possible suspected cases (respiratory symptoms) during or before screening and registration of users, proceeding with the offer of surgical masks to respiratory symptomatics (patients or companions) before the user circulation within the Institute’s facilities.

Guidance for disinfection of devices used in care and cleaning of surfaces in offices and treatment rooms after they leave is also reinforced.

Patients should be referred to emergency services if warning signs are identified or the impossibility of assessment by a medical/nursing professional at the institution.

ISD professionals, students and residents who present a fever and symptoms such as cough, runny nose and dyspnea must seek medical assistance and, as recommended, remain away from their activities at the institution for the recommended period.

*ACTIVITIES SUSPENDED

Check below the list of activities that were scheduled at ISD and that are now suspended indefinitely:

- CLASSROOM LESSONS: From the Master's Degree in Neuroengineering and the Multiprofessional Residency in Health Care for People with Disabilities;

– COLLOQUIES

– PARKINSON MULTIPROFESSIONAL GROUP – ART OF BORN

– CHILDREN’S PARASPORT ACTIVITY – OLYMPIC VILLAGE       

– UNICEF SEAL WORKSHOP – MUNICIPAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT /MACAIBA WITH EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS

– SEMEA GROUP

– ART OF GROWING

– ADULT SPINAL INJURY GROUP

– PARKINSON GROUP – PHYSIOTHERAPY

– CHILDREN’S PARASPORT ACTIVITY – OLYMPIC VILLAGE

– UNICEF SEAL WORKSHOP – MUNICIPAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT /MACAIBA WITH EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS

– ADULT/FEMALE SPINAL INJURY GROUP           

– ADOLESCENT GROUP EPILEPSY AND SPINAL INJURY CLINIC

*At this time of the epidemic in Brazil there is no recommendation to close schools, colleges or offices, for example. This guidance, however, is dynamic and can be modified depending on the evolution of the epidemic.

**Text updated on 03/18/2020 to add information about the suspension of in-person classes.