Students in the health field will be able to participate in the fight against Covid-19.

Brazil Agency - University students in health-related courses are authorized to do internships in health units as a reinforcement in the fight against the new coronavirus (Covid-19), the Ministry of Education (MEC) announced this Friday (20). The measure was published in an ordinance in the extra edition of Official Gazette.

"When allocated to basic health units, emergency care units, the hospital network, and communities, students will become integrated in an auxiliary capacity in the fight against the pandemic. Therefore, university students participating in this joint effort to contain Covid-19 should work exclusively in the areas of clinical medicine, pediatrics, public health, and family support, according to the specificities of each course," the ministry informed.

According to the Ministry of Education, the decision applies to medical students in their final two years of undergraduate studies and to nursing, pharmacy, and physiotherapy students in their final year. The permission is temporary and will last for the duration of the public health emergency.

According to the ministry, the students' work will be supervised by professionals registered with their respective councils and by faculty guidance provided by the Open University of the SUS (UNA-SUS). Educational institutions must use the hours dedicated by students to these response actions as mandatory curricular internship hours.

"This student performance will be considered relevant to the country and will be taken into account in the scoring for admission to residency programs. The Ministry of Health will be responsible for the selection, training, and allocation of students after coordination with state, district, and municipal health agencies," the Ministry of Education added in a statement.