In this new phase, with the country in a state of calamity, since last Sunday, HESE “is preparing to gradually resume the usual non-urgent activity, which has been rescheduled” in the context of combating covid-19, the unit explained, in a statement .

While the state of emergency was in force in Portugal, which ended on Saturday, HESE stressed that it had always maintained “the assistance activity considered unavoidable by the clinical team”.

And in the same period, due to the pandemic, the unit “intensified the performance of non-face-to-face consultations, while maintaining the usual face-to-face activity in some areas”.

"In this context, we maintained the care activity of cancer patients, traumatology, obstetrics, immunoallergology, among other areas of specialty, as well as all urgent activities" said HESE.

Now, in this new phase, the hospital in Évora sees “resuming activity as a priority, maintaining the safety of users and professionals as a focus”.

"Different strategies are being outlined and measures are being taken for each of the main areas of activity, as each requires different measures adjusted to the specific assistance activity", for professionals and users, he stressed.

"It is intended, gradually, to recover the usual care activity while maintaining all the readiness for the care and treatment of covid patients", assumed HESE.

For the president of the hospital's board of directors, Maria Filomena Mendes, “this is another huge challenge, in this context of a pandemic” of the new coronavirus that causes the covid-19 disease.

“If, in a first phase, we had to recreate the hospital to receive covid patients and recalendar the assistance activity considered urgent by non-covid patients, to guarantee the care and safety of all, now the challenge is even greater, given the singularity of our facilities ”, argued the official, praising HESE professionals, who have been“ exceptional throughout these difficult months ”.

The Évora hospital warns that "all users who go to the unit" must comply with the guidelines recommended by the Directorate-General for Health (DGS), such as the use of a mask, a distance of two meters, hand hygiene or respiratory label.

In external consultations, "users will all be contacted and informed about the date, time and security procedures they must comply with on the day of the consultation", which they must arrive "just 15 minutes before the scheduled time", and must go through a post first sorting system installed on site.

Upon resumption of surgical activity, “performing PCR tests” for the new coronavirus “will continue for all patients before any surgical procedure or intervention techniques that justify it, as well as hospitalization”, indicated the HESE .

“New waiting rooms are being created” for the activity of complementary diagnostic methods, which guarantee social isolation among users, “and teams will be strengthened”, while at the hospital, the objective is “to simultaneously guarantee readiness for treatment of covid patients and the gradual recovery of the usual care activity ”, with suspension of visits and companions.