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CIMO dedicates resources to COVID-19 testing for mountain communities

04.06.2020

Mountain Partnership member Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO) has dedicated its time, efforts, resources and even its facilities to help local mountain communities during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CIMO has contributed its accommodations to COVID-19 testing of elderly community members in the mountainous Trás-os-Montes region of Portugal. At the invitation of the national government, the organization converted its main research building into a testing facility.

For the past two months, COVID-19 testing has been carried out at CIMO’s campus in Bragança. More than 30 volunteer researchers are conducting tests for users and workers of care homes and other social institutions. Since the testing began in early April, more than 5 000 samples have been tested on CIMO premises.

This COVID-19 testing is the result of an agreement between the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB); the Ministry of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security; and the Local Health Unit of the Northeast (ULSNE).

Currently, IPB-CIMO processes over 240 samples daily and is preparing to increase its response capacity in the near future.

The volunteer team received preparatory training on hygiene and safety, and has all required tools at their disposal at the CIMO facility. These tools include safety equipment, biosafety materials and all the necessary tools for genetic material analysis.

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Photos from Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal