The Regional Secretariat for Social Solidarity, through the Institute for Social Security of the Azores - ISSA, started making telephone calls this week to all people over 65 residing in the Azores in order to raise their awareness for compliance with the rules set for movement on public roads as well as to inform them on the availability of resources to support the supply of basic needs with the purpose of avoiding unnecessary travel. 

The initiative is being carried out by ISSA technicians in collaboration with Island Health Units. It takes into account the current state of emergency resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and is in line with the recommendations issued by the Regional Health Authority and the recently announced measures by the National Government. 

In these telephone calls made by ISSA technicians from all islands, users are informed that they should only under exceptional circumstances and when strictly necessary.

They were also asked to provide information on their health status, eventual support needs or existing family support, so as to prevent the occurrence of disease among this age group.

Furthermore, in the event of receiving social benefits, technicians highlighted the importance of payments being made by bank transfer in order to prevent them from leaving home.