The Municipality of Porto sets out internal pioneering measures to combat the hardening of the pandemic

The country is battling a rapid outbreak of Covid-19 new infections; as such, the Municipality of Porto continues to ensure both the safety of municipal workers performing essential activities and the regular functioning of services.

Last March, Porto City Hall was among the first municipalities to adopt teleworking, even before the declaration of the first State of Emergency at national level, as a means to mitigate Covid-19 dissemination.

In addition, last November, even before the surge of the second and third waves, the Municipality of Porto implemented mandatory teleworking, following the resolution of the Council of Ministers on 2nd November 2020.

The plan to get back workers to working from Porto City Hall was continuously adjusted according to the evolution of the pandemic situation; such measures include the use of remote working whenever possible, schedule working days arrangements with alternate working hours and days to avoid large concentration of people in offices, provision of personal protection equipment (PPEs), acetic solution provided to workers in all working spaces, taking of body temperature when entering buildings and the full disinfection of all working spaces, in compliance with the rules issued by the DGS.

The flu vaccine was also supplied to municipal workers, and as of December, the Municipality undertakes random testing to screen asymptomatic personnel.

Moreover, essential municipal collaborators have been provided immunity testing. The Municipality also provides free psychological support to essential workers that perform in-person activities, as well as a nurse helpline and the regular clarification of doubts.

Recently, the Municipality of Porto was granted the 4552 Certification as regards the conciliation between professional, family and personal life.