“We are in Phase 2, only with imported cases or cases of contact with positive cases. It is very likely that we will soon move to Phase 3 where those who have tested positive and that person has not been identified,” explained Minsal Assistant Secretary for Assistance Networks this morning, Arturo Zúñiga, of the country’s situation before the Coronavirus.
“We as Minsal are considered and it is a possibility to take those actions,” Radio Universo replied to doubts as to whether measures as drastic as in Italy could be taken in Chile.
Zúñiga pointed to the “self-care” of people under quarantine and the “responsibility not to infect others, isolation is a very effective measure”. It also ruled out coercive measures for those who do not respect quarantine, as defined in Argentina, where decree established that those who break the isolation will commit a crime against public health. “We also have that possibility and there is in our Health Code, a health police but what one appeals to is self-care and the responsibility of citizens, we cannot be controlling everyone in the country to maintain a quarantine and a self-care behavior in a serious situation like the one that is happening. As a government we have put in place the measures that WHO has given, but if we do not have the responsibility of the public it will be very difficult for us to manage to contain in good way the spread of this virus,” he said.
He reiterated that The Minsal has planned all “the measures that we can take, such as suspension of sporting events, of football, but are mitigation measures in a Phase 3, when there is no traceability of the positive cases”.
“At this stage we are not going to take these steps, but in case if an outbreak occurs in a region, school or workplace, like Minsal we are empowered to take measures like those that have been taken in other countries,” he explained.
Insurance
Faced with the doubts that have been generated by the fact that many supplemental and life insurance do not cover in cases of pandemic, Zúñiga explained that “that exceeds us as Minsal because the supplemental insurance is not regulated by the Superintendency as it is so the Isapres and Fonasa. Supplemental insurance is governed by the Superintendency of Securities and Insurance, so what one appeals to is a little discretion from those companies to deliver coverage in such cases, when one gets sick.” He added that “that’s why as Minsal we send this circular where Isapres and Fonasa must comply with this disease and we call on supplementary insurance to be able to make it as well.”
