4.A. Round table: Points of entry in light of the COVID-19 outbreak – a European perspective
Authors:   Organised by: EU Healthy Gateways,   Chair persons: Varvara Mouchtouri - Greece, Jan Heidrich - Germany
Published: October 2020

Points of entry (PoE) have a crucial role in responding to a public health event of international concern (PHEIC) such as COVID-19. Border measures such as entry screening, quarantine and communication are implemented to stop or slow down the spread of COVID-19. Temperature screening at airports, denied access to ports for cruise ships with suspected cases on-board, long-lasting quarantine on board of a cruise ship or temporary suspending cross-border train traffic are just some examples of how PoE are affected by the current outbreak situation.

Using the network of the EU Joint Action Healthy Gateways group (JAHG) on preparedness and action at PoE, this workshop aims to highlight strategies and experiences across Europe with respect to awareness, prevention, detection and control of COVID-19 at PoE. The workshop will give a short overview of the current situation in Europe and briefly elaborate on expected and unexpected roles of PoE during the COVID-19 outbreak. Selected key aspects and case-based reports regarding COVID-19 management at PoE will be lined out and discussed: Experiences, challenges and needs of PoE in Europe.Communication and information strategies are crucial in an outbreak situation. The workshop will display case-based examples and emphasize on the challenges and efficacy of different strategies during the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, the need for and experiences of information exchange between POE will be stressed and illustrated.An outbreak situation with a formerly unknown, novel virus such as Sars-CoV-2 requires specific education and training at POE. Practice examples of educational measures (such as e. g. personal instructions, written material, webinars etc.) as well as challenges in rapid development of training material and in assessing specific training needs will be highlighted.What can we learn so far from COVID-19 outbreak management at PoE in Europe? Some preliminary practice recommendations for PoE will be put to discussion. Preliminary results of a survey on how POE dealt with COVID-19 and the specific training needs PoE encountered in this situation will also be presented at the workshop.

PoE in Europe, and all over the world, play an important role in the COVID-19 outbreak. This session provides the opportunity to discuss experiences and challenges of COVID-19 outbreak management at PoE from European countries and thereby contributes to skill building and knowledge exchange among experts from the field to learn for future outbreaks.

Key messages

COVID-19 is a major challenge for PoE across Europe. Diverse and partly non-coherent measures for the outbreak management have been put in place at PoE leaving room for harmonization. Communication and information as well as specific education and training on site are particularly challenging and put burden on PoE staff. Adaptive communication and training strategies are needed.

Panelists:

Aura Timen

RIVM, Bilthoven, Netherlands

Contact: Aura.timen@rivm.nl

Martin Dirksen-Fischer

Institute of Hygiene and the Environment, Ministry of Federal Health and Consumer Protection, Hamburg, Germany

Contact: martin.dirksen-fischer@hu.hamburg.de

Brigita Kairiene

Department of Communicable Diseases Management, National Public Health Centre, Klaipeda, Lithuania

Contact: brigita.kairiene@nvsc.lt

Evelien Belfroid

RIVM, Bilthoven, Netherlands

Contact: evelien.belfroid@rivm.nl

Doret de Rooij

RIVM, Bilthoven, Netherlands

Contact: doret.de.rooij@rivm.nl