People with symptoms compatible with Covid-19 can, from yesterday, request an appointment for a diagnostic test through BitCita. It is no longer necessary to call Infocovid, although the telephone line will continue to offer a service for resolving doubts and for other specific functions. In a press release, the Regional Ministry of Health emphasised that this streamlines the system for users to request a diagnostic test, as has already been done since last week with the management of close contacts. Both actions, the request for a diagnostic test and the management of close contacts, must be done through the online resource www.ibsalut.es/autorastreigcovid, which provides access to BitCita.
Prioritisation of vulnerable people
From now on vulnerable persons are prioritised in the case of asymptomatic close contact tracing. In these cases, only vulnerable people (over 70 years of age, pregnant women and health and social-health professionals) and those who live with a person diagnosed with Covid-19 will be tested. These persons will have to make an appointment for the diagnostic test between the third and fifth day after the date of the last contact with the positive person.
Asymptomatic persons who have been in close contact, who are fully vaccinated and who are not part of these groups will not have to quarantine but should take extreme precautions during the 10-day period after the last contact with the confirmed case, limiting activities to essential activities, reducing social interactions as much as possible and strictly complying with infection prevention measures (safety distance, hand hygiene, use of masks and ventilation of enclosed spaces). In addition, they should carefully monitor the development of symptoms compatible with the disease.
Asymptomatic persons who have been in close contact, who are not vaccinated and who do not belong to the groups mentioned above, should quarantine for seven days from the last contact with the positive person and watch for the appearance of symptoms up to 3 days after the end of the quarantine. If they appear, they should make an appointment for a diagnostic test.
Next steps
During the last few days, there have been almost 4,000 COVID-19 positives per day in the Balearic Islands. This has caused the number of calls to InfoCOVID to multiply and exceed 20,000 per day. For this reason, procedures will continue to be streamlined, they said. Over the next few days, new protocols will come into operation that will allow people infected with the disease who need to take sick leave to do so telematically, without having to contact the health center. On the other hand, pharmacy offices will also be able to communicate and confirm positive cases to the Health Service.