Covid-19: Anvisa approves sanitary measures for cargo ships

The collegiate board of ANVISA (the national health surveillance agency) unanimously approved a proposal on December 8 that deals with sanitary measures for the operation and for the loading and unloading of platforms and cargo vessels in Brazilian ports.

Through a statement, Anvisa informed that the objective is to reinforce actions to fight Covid-19 in the country, especially in view of the Ômicron variant, with special attention to the embarking and disembarking of crew members in Brazilian ports.

Proof of vaccination

According to the approved text, before giving access to vessels and platforms, legal representatives must require crew, suppliers, and professionals from the port community to comply with various health requirements, including the presentation of proof of complete vaccination against Covid-19.

Testing and Symptoms

Proof of the performance of a laboratory test such as RT-PCR or RT-LAMP (molecular tests used for diagnosis) with a negative result, performed 72 hours before the time of shipment, must also be required. Non-reactive results may be accepted by rapid antigen test (IgG and IgM) carried out 24 hours before the trip.

In addition, the standard provides for pre-shipment screening to identify symptoms of the disease.

Sanitary Measures

The proposal also deals with preventive measures against Covid-19 that have already been widely publicized, such as hand hygiene, social distancing, and the use of face masks. There are also items related to cleaning, disinfection, and solid waste management protocols on vessels.

Case notification

The text provides for the establishment of contingency plans and the notification of suspected and confirmed cases of the disease to ANVISA. According to the standard, after identifying a case on the vessels, everyone on board will be considered contacts of the confirmed case and will be monitored.

Crew change and quarantine

ANVISA’s proposal annex provides options involving crew change, work quarantine, or vessel quarantine to manage vessels with one or more cases of Covid-19.

The items will be chosen by the vessel’s legal representative, who must take into account the location of the port, the itinerary, the availability of an alternative crew, and the necessary operational and logistical capacity. The selected option must be previously approved by the agency’s unit responsible for the port.

Source: Agência Brasil

To read the complete original article, access the link: https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/saude/noticia/2021-12/covid-19-anvisa-aprova-medidas-sanitarias-para-navios-de-carga

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