The Integrated Citizen Support Network (RIAC) will progressively reopen its offices. It will now give preference to previous scheduling for the provision of services in order to protect all users and employees in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, thus complying with the its Contingency Plan and the guidelines issued by the Regional Health Authority. 

The previous scheduling of services includes a service that allows citizens to schedule face-to-face services on a previously defined day and time. 

According to the guidelines of the Action Plan for the Autonomous Region of the Azores designated as "Criteria for a Safe Exit from the COVID-19 Pandemic," the hours between 9 am and 11 am will be exclusively dedicated to people included in vulnerable and risk groups, namely citizens over 60, with chronic diseases or with special needs; services will be provided on a first-come first-served basis.
 
Outside these hours, i.e., after 11 am, the service to citizens will be carried out only by previous scheduling. 

In practice, citizens may schedule their appointment on the RIAC portal at www.riac.azores.gov.pt or call the Citizen Support Toll-free Line - 800 500 501, from Monday to Saturday between 9 am and 10:30 pm, and on Sundays and holidays from 10 am to 10:30 pm. 

This service is available from today for the RIAC Offices located on the islands of Corvo, Flores and Santa Maria, which will reopen their services to the public on Wednesday, May 6. 

The availability of these services on the remaining islands will take place in parallel with the reopening of the remaining offices, being in line with the guidelines of the Action Plan for the Autonomous Region of the Azores. 

Accordingly, the RIAC Offices have adopted safety standards now in force, namely that the face-to-face service will be limited to the person requesting the service in question, the service area will be limited to be, at least, one metre away from the desk, and direct contact should be reduced to a minimum. 

Additionally, a protection partition wall will be made available per service station, through which the interaction and transaction of documents and equipment will be carried out, and payments will be processed on a washable surface. 

Also, within the scope of the rules defined for this service, the waiting room must safeguard a minimum distance of two chairs between each user. Citizens are not allowed to remain inside the office without complying with the social distancing rules. 

The rules on cleaning and sanitising will be observed through the disinfection, at each use, of all areas as well as of critical material and equipment, namely pens and contact space.

Besides these measures, the rules stipulate the use of alcohol-based antiseptic solution for hand disinfection and the mandatory use of surgical mask. 

It should be noted that the Government has recently reinforced the Citizen Support Line - 800 500 501. It now provides a new service to support citizens in obtaining information on the various public administration services, taking into account the need to minimise the physical access to non-essential services. 

Hence, the RIAC line is able to clarify Azorean citizens on non-medical doubts regarding the situation of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the Region, similarly to the COVID-19 Non-Medical Information Line (800 29 29 29), created specifically for this purpose by the Regional Government. 

The RIAC Line also provides information on the exceptional measures implemented by the Regional Government with the aim of providing immediate support to the economy and to the maintenance of employment levels and workers' income. 

Additionally, Azorean citizens may continue to consult the RIAC portal with updated information at www.riac.azores.gov.pt, which also provides access to the Regional Government's Citizen Support Line via chat or Skype at [email protected] or by message on the RIAC Facebook page at www.facebook.com/riac.gov. 

The Integrated Citizen Support Network, an organisation under the administration of the Vice-Presidency of the Government, was created with the purpose of rationalising and modernising the service provided by the Regional Administration, with a view to improving its interaction with citizens and companies. 

RIAC currently offers a wide range of services and information content in several areas, thereby facilitating and simplifying the access of citizens not only to the Regional Public Administration, but also to the Central and Local Administration, as well as to other public and private entities.