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(CNN Spanish) -
The president of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, Rafael Hernández, decreed this Saturday a state of emergency in said body after confirming that an employee of the press office tested positive for covid-19.
Hernández confirmed the positive status of the woman through the Twitter account of the House of Representatives where he offered a virtual press conference this Saturday.
He reported that the purpose of this action is aimed at implementing expedited procedures, establishing access and operation protocols for the dependencies and offices, and even authorizing a work break if necessary.
"Under this Administrative Order, a phase 1 state of emergency is decreed in the House of Representatives in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), and consequently operational restrictions are established in said Legislative Body," reads part of the document.
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Hernández Montañez indicated that for the moment no employee of the House of Representatives, contractor or department head, may occupy his workplace.
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The administrative order establishes several phases in the state of emergency.
Phase 1 will be the one where the presence of the virus in more than one of the Chamber's dependencies or offices causes personnel to be sent to quarantine or isolate.
While phase 2 will be where the presence of the virus in any dependency (s) or office (s) of the Chamber would force the closure of the same.
Phase 3 will be the one where the presence of the virus, in the opinion of the President of the Chamber, with the advice of the medical staff of the Emergency Room, does not allow the administrative and legislative processes of the House of Representatives to continue, forcing decree a work break.
Hernández added that each administrative or legislative office, dependency or work area will have a Screening Officer in charge of the execution of this protocol, appointed by the supervisor or director of the workplace, whose duty will be to take a body temperature reading of all employees and keep a digitized record of it.
The Screening Officer will be responsible for maintaining contact with all employees in isolation or quarantine for follow-up purposes.
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The parliamentarian added that each official, member, employee, unit chief, as well as visitors and contractors of the House of Representatives when they work or visit any dependency, unit, area, office, commission and subcommittee of this Legislative Body, must maintain coverage the area of the mouth and nose with a mask.
This must be surgical or KN95.
Cloth masks, handkerchiefs, or similar covers shall not be used.
According to the Puerto Rico Department of Health, as of February 20, the island registered more than 91,324 confirmed cases of covid-19, and 1,664 deaths.
Covid-19 Puerto Rico
