CAIRO – 14 May 2020: Egypt has released a coexistence plan to deal with the coronavirus pandemic over the coming period. The government highlights the importance of abiding by precautionary measures while preparing to gradually resume normal life cycle.
The plan comes as a bid to reduce the number of infections and deaths, achieve a balance between maintaining a normal life cycle and abiding by the precautionary measures, to get rid of the negative psychological effects of the outbreak, and to avoid crowds resulting from services like: transportation and shopping.
Egypt announces COVID-19 coexistence plan - Photo from Ministry of Health's report
How does the plan work?
According to the Ministry of Health, the plan includes three phases:
First phase: Tough procedures:
Duration: This phase enters into action immediately and continues until there is a drop recorded in the number of infections over the course of two consecutive weeks.
* There are some features for the first phase that sum up in measuring people's temperature before entering facilities, metro stations and trains; everyone should be wearing medical masks once in the streets; business owners should place sanitizers at their doors, and cinemas, theatres and cafes will remain closed.
Patients from high, low risk groups
* Patients from the high-risk groups should call Hotline 105 and contact a doctor. While other patients with mild symptoms should stay at home and follow self-isolation instructions until symptoms are gone, or any until development is noticed.
* In case the self-isolated patient notices continuous rise in temperature for more than three days, shortness of breath, chest pain, dryness, convulsions, consciousness disorder, cough with blood (although rare), they should head to the hospital immediately.
Elderly and Pregnant
Gyms, occasions' halls, will be closed; a metro vehicle will be fully allocated for the elderly and pregnant women; additional seats for the elderly and pregnant will be available at all transport means. Also, awareness of shifting to online shopping and e-payment at markets and malls will be raised, while restaurants will only be opened for home delivery and not for public.
Dealing with delivery men
Persons who do not have virus symptoms and are in good health should be the ones dealing with the delivery men. In case the infected persons are self-isolating and should receive the order in person, they should do the following:
- Wash hands with water and soap for no less than half a minute, wear a medical mask, wear clean gloves, give the delivery man (who is also wearing a mask) the money without approaching him.
Second phase: Moderate procedures:
Duration: Begins by the end of the first phase, and lasts for 28 days.
The procedures include measuring people's temperature before entering facilities; everyone should wear masks once they leave home; business owners should place sanitizers at their doors; keeping medium density inside shops; and cinemas, theatres and cafes will remain closed.
Third phase: Mitigating procedures:
Duration: Begins by the end of the second phase, and lasts until WHO announces low risk assessment of the virus worldwide.
The procedures in this phase encompass commitment to good ventilation, avoiding crowding, receiving the vaccine if adopted by the WHO, following hygiene measures, abiding by precautionary measures in case of eating at restaurants and hotels, and continuing to regularly monitor the virus activity.
How to deal inside different facilities?
The Ministry of Health further discussed in the plan the procedures each facility, authority or any means of transportation should follow throughout the three phases of co-existence with COVID-19.
The report thoroughly explained the procedures of the three phases at different places, including institutions and companies, hotels, malls and markets, factories, transportation means.
The ministry urged cleaning, and sanitizing offices every 24 hours, avoiding crowding at workplaces, evaluating workers’ medical status prior to entering the workplace, and providing protective tools.
General regulations for different bodies:
1- Entities that should not work amid COVID-19 pandemic include
cinema, theatres, cafes, restaurants, universities, schools, nurseries, gyms, sporting clubs, and wedding and funeral halls.
2- Raising awareness among employees on combating the infection with the virus.
3- Allocating isolation rooms for any infected person at the facility.
4- Providing sanitizers, napkins, good ventilation and signs showing adequate safe distance between workers.
General regulations for citizens:
1- Citizens should wear medical masks in case they go out of the house and use transportation means.
2- Persons above 50 years old should leave home only for necessity.
3- Those who feel the symptoms should self-isolate at home and contact the hotline 105 in case of any developments.
4- Maintain safe distance with others (not less than 2 meters).
5- Clean and sanitize surfaces regularly.
6- Use tissues when coughing and sneezing.
7- Family members who have no virus symptoms should be the ones dealing with delivery men.
Egypt announces COVID-19 coexistence plan - Photos from Ministry of Health's report
Egypt announces COVID-19 coexistence plan - Photos from Ministry of Health's report
Egypt announces COVID-19 coexistence plan - Photos from Ministry of Health's report
Egypt announces COVID-19 coexistence plan - Photos from Ministry of Health's report
Egypt announces COVID-19 coexistence plan - Photos from Ministry of Health's report
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