Year: 2021

 

 

Press announcement following Council of Ministers meeting 15^th July 2021

 

The Minister of State and the Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva, revealed this Thursday, July 15, after the meeting of the Council of Ministers, that the incidence at 14 days per hundred thousand inhabitants is 346.5 in mainland Portugal and the transmissibility index – R(t) – is now at 1.15.

Mariana Vieira da Silva highlighted that “the number of cases this week is higher than the previous week, but the value of the rate of transmission – R(t) – is lower”. “Last week we had grown by over 50 per cent compared to the previous week and this week we grew by 28 per cent compared to last week,” she said.

“As long as we have an R(t) greater than 1 we will always increase the number of cases, but the R(t) is lower today than last week,” she added.

“We still don’t know when we can reach” the peak of contagions, she said. However, the minister stressed that “the pace of growth of the pandemic is, at the moment, lower than it has ever been”. “Whether that indicates that we are approaching that peak contagions we will see in the coming days,” she added.

The minister stressed that hospital admissions and cases in intensive care are growing, but that “the situation is under control from the point of view of the National Health Service”.

The minister revealed that, at this moment, there are more than 3,200,000 Portuguese who have been fully vaccinated for more than 15 days. “This advance of vaccination is an extremely important instrument for reducing the pandemic,” she said.

The minister also revealed that the Government has approved a decree that authorises the sale of self-tests for covid-19 in supermarkets.

When questioned about an eventual lifting of the restrictions concerning bars and nightclubs, Mariana Vieira da Silva stressed that “we are not yet at a stage where this is possible”.

There are currently 30 municipalities on alert in mainland Portugal. They are:

• Águeda
• Alcoutim
• Aljustrel
• Amarante
• Anadia
• Cadaval
• Caldas da Rainha
• Castelo de Paiva
• Estarreja
• Fafe
• Felgueiras
• Guarda
• Marco de Canaveses
• Marinha Grande
• Mogadouro
• Montemor-o-Velho
• Murtosa
• Ourém
• Ovar
• Paços de Ferreira
• Penafiel
• Santa Maria da Feira
• São João da Madeira
• Serpa
• Valpaços
• Viana do Castelo
• Vila do Conde
• Vila Real
• Vila Viçosa
• Vizela

 

The number of municipalities at high risk of covid-19 transmission has increased to 43 (last week there were 27). They are:

• Alcobaça
• Alenquer
• Arouca
• Arraiolos
• Azambuja
• Barcelos
• Batalha
• Bombarral
• Braga
• Cantanhede
• Cartaxo
• Castro Marim
• Chaves
• Coimbra
• Constância
• Espinho
• Figueira da Foz
• Gondomar
• Guimarães
• Leiria
• Lousada
• Maia
• Monchique
• Montemor-o-Novo
• Óbidos
• Paredes
• Paredes de Coura
• Pedrógão Grande
• Porto de Mós
• Póvoa do Varzim
• Rio Maior
• Salvaterra de Magos
• Santarém
• Santiago do Cacém
• Tavira
• Torres Vedras
• Trancoso
• Trofa
• Valongo
• Viana do Alentejo
• Vila do Bispo
• Vila Nova de Famalicão
• Vila Real de Sto António

 

In these municipalities these restrictions apply:

• Limitation of circulation on public roads between 23h and 5h;
• Teleworking compulsory when duties allow;
• Restaurants, cafés and pastry shops until 22h30 (inside, with a maximum of 6 people per group; outside, 10 people per group);
• Cultural shows with the same opening hours as restaurants;
• – Retail trade until 21h.

 

The municipalities at very high risk are now 47:

• Albergaria-a-Velha
• Albufeira
• Alcochete
• Almada
• Amadora
• Arruda dos Vinhos
• Aveiro
• Avis
• Barreiro
• Benavente
• Cascais
• Elvas
• Faro
• Ílhavo
• Lagoa
• Lagos
• Lisboa
• Loulé
• Loures
• Lourinhã
• Mafra
• Matosinhos
• Mira
• Moita
• Montijo
• Nazaré
• Odivelas
• Oeiras
• Olhão
• Oliveira do Bairro
• Palmela
• Peniche
• Portimão
• Porto
• Santo Tirso
• São Brás de Alportel
• Seixal
• Sesimbra
• Setúbal
• Silves
• Sines
• Sintra
• Sobral de Monte Agraço
• Vagos
• Vila Franca de Xira
• Vila Nova de Gaia
• Viseu

 

In these municipalities these restrictions apply:

• Limitation of circulation on public roads between 23h and 5h;
• Teleworking compulsory when duties allow;
• Restaurants, cafés and pastry shops until 22h30 (inside, with a maximum of 4 people per group; outside, 6 people per group)
• Cultural shows until 22h30;
• Weddings and christenings with 25% of the capacity;
• Gymnasiums without group classes;
• Sporting activities of low and medium risk;
• Retail trade during the week: until 21h. Weekend and holidays: food retail until 19h and non-food retail until 15h30.

 

 

Covid-19: Majority of survey respondents satisfied with pandemic management

 

Newsroom, 12 Jul 2021 (Lusa) – Most respondents in a study released today expressed satisfaction with the measures adopted by the Government in the last year to combat the covid-19 pandemic, despite the economic and mental health consequences.

The conclusions are inferred from the preliminary results of a study promoted by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation (FFMS), with the objective of measuring the main impacts of the covid-19 pandemic on the economy, society, democratic institutions and international politics.

According to the results of the first round of surveys, carried out between March 16 and May 20, three-quarters of respondents consider themselves to be at least reasonably satisfied with the measures taken by the Government in the context of combating the pandemic.

Among the measures that deserve better evaluation, respondents point to restrictions on movement and activity in the second confinement, the use of distance learning again in February, the request for medical help to other countries, the policy of scientific advice and the plan for vaccination against covid-19, unlike the measures implemented during Christmas and New Year, considered positive by only 25% of respondents.

In line with this relative satisfaction, most respondents (60%) said they trust the executive, a number that increases to 81% when talking about the National Health Service (SNS) and to 85% regarding the President of the Republic.

The Ministry of Health, on the other hand, was considered the state agency that showed the most positive results, but the majority (72%) agree that the experts should be the ones who make the decisions about fighting SARS-CoV-2.

On the other hand, the results also reveal the negative effects of more than a year with restrictive measures, in economic, social and mental health terms.

“In terms of mental health, and although it is not yet possible with the present data to estimate a specific pattern of change, we can conclude that there was a negative impact”, the report reads.

For example, six out of 20 respondents felt alone during the past year, and compared to the pre-pandemic period, the percentage of people who felt their life was close to what they idealized rose from 71% to 22% in first confinement, rising slightly to 30% in the second.

“The data allow us to verify that social isolation significantly predicts the reported losses in this subjective well-being, with feelings of loneliness being particularly penalizing”, the document adds.

At the level of work, 38% of the interviewees accused a situation of insecurity, reporting spending equivalent to earnings, and almost 20% assume that it has been necessary to resort to savings or incurring debt to cover current expenses.

Two in ten respondents reported that they, or a member of their household, became unemployed during the pandemic and 34% said their household income had declined in the past year and a half.

These conclusions seem to make sense, when compared with another data, according to which just over half of the respondents agree that, in combating a pandemic, it is more important to prioritize public health, to the detriment of economic activity and employment, while 23% advocate the opposite.

On the other hand, the vast majority (86%) admit that limitations on public liberties were completely justified or at least justified to some extent, but 43% of respondents believe that democracy was weakened during the pandemic period.

The study also looks at the perception of the Portuguese regarding international politics and, according to the results, respondents seem to blame, in the negative in terms of the origin or management of the pandemic, China (53%) which is also highlighted, positively, in 20% of responses, as one of the countries that contributed to greater collective coordination of efforts.

Regarding supranational institutions, the majority (63%) point to the World Health Organization (WHO) as the main organization playing a positive role, but only 15% valued the role of the European Union (EU).

“One of the possible reasons for this assessment can be found in the difficulty in coordinating the national responses”, points out the report, which states that just over half of the respondents (57%) considered the option to entrust the European Commission (EC) with the process of purchasing vaccines.

Still regarding the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the economy, the sectors of commerce, industry and transport were the most affected in the second quarter of 2020, followed by agriculture in the following quarter.

On the household side, in terms of consumption, it was in catering, beauty and well-being, travel, culture, clothing and temporary accommodation that most reduced expenses, which increased, on the other hand, in the electricity, gas and water sectors, in online commerce and retail.

The second wave of the FFMS study took place in September and the final results are expected to be published in spring 2022.

Three samples of approximately 1,150 participants each were collected and the project, which has the collaboration of researchers from different universities, is coordinated by Carlos Jalali, from the University of Aveiro, who took over after the death of Nuno Monteiro, from Yale University , in May.

 

 

Council of Ministers Press Conference Thursday 8^th July 2021

 

After another Council of Ministers, this Thursday, July 8, a new balance is made on the epidemiological situation in the country. The minister Mariana Vieira da Silva says that the daily average of cases rose 54%, so there will be more municipalities entering the list of high and very high risk. “Portugal remains in the red zone of the matrix,” stresses the minister.

There is one more municipality at high risk (last week there were 26) now 27.

• Albergaria-a-Velha
• Alenquer
• Aveiro
• Azambuja
• Bombarral
• Braga
• Cartaxo
• Constância
• Ílhavo
• Lagoa
• Matosinhos
• Óbidos
• Palmela
• Portimão
• Paredes de Coura
• Rio Maior
• Salvaterra de Magos
• Santarém
• Setúbal
• Sines
• Torres Vedras
• Trancoso
• Trofa
• Viana do Alentejo
• Vila Nova de Famalicão
• Vila Nova de Gaia
• Viseu

 

There are currently 33 municipalities at very high risk (19 a week ago), i.e. with an incidence of more than 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Which are in the red zone?

• Albufeira
• Alcochete
• Almada
• Amadora
• Arruda dos Vinhos
• Avis
• Barreiro
• Cascais
• Faro
• Lagos
• Lisboa
• Loulé
• Loures
• Lourinhã
• Mafra
• Mira
• Moita
• Montijo
• Mourão
• Nazaré
• Odivelas
• Oeiras
• Olhão
• Porto
• Santo Tirso
• São Brás de Alportel
• Seixal
• Sesimbra
• Silves
• Sintra
• Sobral de Monte Agraço
• Vagos
• Vila Franca de Xira

The Government has decided that from this Friday onwards a negative test or the digital certificate will be required for access (in the whole continental territory):

• To tourist and local accommodation establishments;
• Access to meals inside (does not apply to meals on terraces, for example) of restaurants located in high and very high risk municipalities (with effect from 19h on Friday and until 22h30), throughout the weekend.

“This means a reinforcement of security in the access to these establishments,” explains the Minister of the Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva. One of the objectives of this requirement, she explains, is “the normalisation of restaurant opening hours” and “the maximisation of security, minimising restrictions”, she says.

“Today we have a new instrument for this and with this we can generalise its use and that is the effort we are making starting this week,” she added.

“We make a weekly assessment that we share with you here about the situation of the pandemic and the measures presented here are those that at this moment, given the evolution of the numbers,” contextualises the minister before justifying “the extension of the use of the digital certificate”.

The requirement to present a negative test or digital certificate applies:

• From 19h on Friday;
• All day Saturday
• The whole of Sunday;
• From Monday until 18h59 on Friday negative tests are not required.

Restaurants (and hotels) will also be able to sell self-tests so that clients can take covid-19 tests and access the interior of restaurant and hotel spaces, explains the Minister of Economy, Pedro Siza Vieira.

Four types of tests are allowed:

• PCR test, carried out within 72 hours prior to submission;
• Antigen test with laboratory report, carried out within 48 hours prior to its submission;
• Rapid antigen test using the self-test method, carried out within the 24 hours prior to submission in the presence of a health or pharmaceutical professional who certifies its performance and result;
• Rapid self-test antigen test carried out on the spot, at the door of the establishment to be visited, under the supervision of the persons in charge of these premises.

In the case of hotels, the measure applies nationwide, requiring the following:

• A negative test or the presentation of the digital certificate at check-in;
• The guest can carry out a self-test in front of a member of the reception staff.
• In both the catering and hotel sectors, the measure does not apply to children under the age of 12 who are accompanied by an adult, nor to employees of the establishments themselves.

The minister stressed that the obligations to respect the rules will be as much for those who frequent restaurants as for those who go to hotels. For customers, fines can range from 100 to 500 euros. For owners, fines can range from 1,000 to 10,000 euros.

The ban on entering and leaving the Lisbon metropolitan area on weekends has ended, confirms Mariana Vieira da Silva. The minister explains that since the Delta variant already “exists throughout the national territory”, the measure no longer makes sense. “They had as a fundamental objective the containment of the Delta variant. On the other hand, from now on we have other ways [of fighting the contagion], namely the use of the digital certificate in the access to restaurants and hotels”, she added.

 

 

Fewer accidents and deaths on the roads in the first four months of the year compared to 2020

 

Lisbon, 08 Jul 2021 (Lusa) – In the first four months of the year, 6,515 accidents with victims and 74 fatalities were registered, 1,128 fewer and 24 fewer, respectively, than in the same period last year, according to a report released today.

According to the accident report and inspection of the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR) for the first four months of the year (in a covid-19 pandemic and in a state of emergency), 6,515 accidents with victims were registered in mainland Portugal. which resulted in 74 deaths, 444 serious injuries and 7,360 light injuries.

ANSR data show an improvement in the main accident indicators, compared to the same period of 2010: there were 1,128 fewer accidents with victims (-14.8%), 24 fewer fatalities (-24.5%) less 26 serious injuries (-5.5%) and less than 1,643 minor injuries (-18.2%).

“If we compare with the average period of the previous five years (2016 to 2020), there was an improvement with: 32.6% less accidents, 42.7% less fatalities, less 22.9% of serious injuries and less 36.6% of minor injuries”, is mentioned in the report.

Most of the accidents were due to collisions (51.1% of accidents with victims), despite having been responsible for only 32.4% of fatal victims.

With regard to the type of road, the report indicates that on streets (67.0% of all accidents) fatalities decreased by 13.2%, while serious injuries increased by 14.6%. On national roads, where 16.5% of accidents occurred, there were decreases of 32.3% and 28.9%, respectively, in fatalities and serious injuries.

According to the report, 67.6% of all fatalities were drivers, 6.8% passengers and 25.7% were pedestrians.

“In terms of year-on-year variation, there was a 70.6% reduction in fatalities with a passenger profile, with a decrease of 17.4% in the case of pedestrians and 13.8 in fatal victims. % in drivers, corresponding to 12 fewer, four fewer and eight fewer fatalities than in 2020, in each case”, is referred to in the document.

In relation to the category of vehicle involved in accidents, light vehicles constituted 71.5% of the total, with a reduction of 18.3% compared to the same period of the previous year, followed by a reduction of 15.5% for heavy vehicles and 11. 2% of mopeds and motorcycles.

Between January and April, 54.1% of the number of fatalities was registered on the road network under the responsibility of six infrastructure managers: Infrastructures of Portugal (32.4%), Brisa (5.4%) and municipalities of Alcobaça, Santa Maria da Feira, Sintra and Vila Nova de Gaia (4.1% for each).

The report also mentions that 36.2 million vehicles were inspected, either in person or by means of automatic inspection, with a decrease of 5.8% compared to the same period in 2020.

“This difference was a reflection of a 0.6% reduction in inspection by the GNR and PSP together, as well as a 6.6% reduction in the SINCRO radar system managed by ANSR, a consequence of the reduction in circulation due to the mandatory confinement,” according to the report.

In these actions, 356.6 thousand infractions were detected, which represents a decrease of 21.2% compared to the same period of the previous year. The infraction rate (total number of infractions/total vehicles inspected) was 0.99%, a reduction of 16.4% compared to the 1.18% rate registered in 2020.

Regarding the typology of infractions, 55.9% of the total registered in this period was related to speeding.

According to the report, there was a decrease in some types of infractions, highlighting the reduction in transgressions for alcohol consumption above the legal limit (-44.2%) and the reduction for speeding (-30.3% ).

However, there was an increase in infractions due to the absence of mandatory periodic inspection (+75.8%), non-use of seat belts (+29.5%), use of mobile phones (+20.1%) and for not using restraint systems (+28.4%).

As for speeding, the offense rate (total number of speeding offenses/vehicles monitored by radar) decreased by 25.8%, from 0.8% between January and April to 0.6% recorded in the same period of the previous year.

With regard to driving under the influence of alcohol, between January and April, 488.0 thousand drivers underwent the test, which represents an increase of 10.4% compared to 2020, despite the rate of violation (total number of offenses for alcohol tests performed) has decreased by 49.4%, from 1.6% in the first four months of 2020 to 0.8% in the same period of 2021.

Road crime, measured in the total number of arrests, increased by 14.7% compared to the same period in 2020, reaching 7.5 thousand drivers.

More than half of the arrests (54.5%) were due to the lack of legal license to drive, with an increase of 76.9% in these cases, compared to that verified between January and April 2020.

As for the point license system, since its entry into force until the end of April 2021, 1,450 drivers had their driver’s license revoked and 263,800 drivers lost points in their driver’s license.

 

Vaccination has “huge impact” in breaking mortality

 

The coordinator of the Technical Commission on Vaccination Against Covid-19 defended today that the numbers of the pandemic in Portugal show an “immense impact” of vaccines on the health system and on mortality.

In an interview with Lusa agency, Válter Fonseca highlighted the differences in the current wave of covid-19 in Portugal: “In this wave of the pandemic (…) we are seeing an increase in incidence, the number of new cases, but we are not having, at this moment, to follow this incidence curve with a significant increase in hospitalizations and mortality”.

“This is an extraordinary impact of vaccination against covid-19. The curves [now] move away, whereas in the past there was an incidence curve, sometime later the hospitalization curve went up and, later, the curve of hospitalization mortality,” he explained.

At this moment – he continued -, “we are beginning to see a trend of separation of these curves, which tells us that, even with the most worrying variants, such as delta, in Portugal, vaccines are having a huge impact on the system of health and mortality of people”.

Válter Fonseca insisted that vaccines are effective and safe, protecting against serious illness and hospitalization (between 90% and 95%), but also decreasing transmission, albeit at different levels.

“The data we have available today, mainly from the United Kingdom, which is the country with the most history and vaccination coverage against covid-19, show that these vaccines also have an impact on the transmission of the virus, but not on the values ​​that we see for mortality and serious illness,” said the expert.

As time passes, he added, “we are beginning to know better how vaccines behave in the results of asymptomatic infection and transmission. It is always more difficult to study these last results than the first ones [mortality and hospitalization]” .

“The first ones [relating to mortality and hospitalizations] are straightforward, objective, while the others [relating to protection against asymptomatic infection and transmission] need more complex studies,” he added.

Asked about some uncertainty that still exists about the reactive protection of the delta variant, the official said: “We are analyzing the true impact of this variant on vaccine effectiveness so that we can then take the right measures for the future”.

“Which does not mean (…) that there is no total confidence in vaccines. Vaccines are effective and are doing their job. We just have to look every day at our numbers in Portugal,” he added.

Regarding the future, and asked about the hypothesis of an eventual third dose of vaccine, or about the options that the Directorate-General of Health is considering, Válter Fonseca replied: “All hypotheses are studied”.

“It is too early to be able to say what will happen in terms of additional doses. The first reason for this is that we have not yet achieved our goal: to vaccinate all adult bands with the complete scheme,” he said.

Asked about the need for a third dose of the covid-19 vaccine, the specialist replied: “To make a decision on the need for a third dose, we need data that are not yet known, namely, what is it that it happens to the duration of immunity conferred by vaccines”.

“So far, the data we have indicate that the immunity conferred by the vaccine has been maintained and has been able to face new variants, maintaining the protection of people”, said Válter Fonseca, insisting: “We have to wait some more time, keep our objective is to follow the evolution of knowledge”.

Original in Portuguese here: https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/pais/vacinacao-tem-impacto-imenso-na-quebra-da-mortalidade_n1333530

 

 

Press conference following Council of Ministers meeting 1^st July 2021

 

Minister of State and of the Presidency Mariana Vieira da Silva gave the press conference stating:

With the number of infections growing by the day, the Government again insisted that it is necessary to “avoid risky behaviour”. The call came again after the Council of Ministers meeting this Thursday, July 1. “The country is in a situation where it is necessary to maintain the rules, wear a mask, maintain rules of respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene and avoid crowds,” summarised the Minister of State and the Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva.

The incidence in most of the country remains below 120 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In other words, in the “green zone” defined by the Government. However, 26 municipalities are on the alert list. Porto, again above this limit, will step back from the deconfinement.

Which municipalities have a double negative assessment?

• Alcochete
• Alenquer
• Arruda dos Vinhos
• Avis
• Braga
• Castelo de Vide
• Faro
• Grândola
• Lagoa
• Lagos
• Montijo
• Odemira
• Palmela
• Paredes de Coura
• Portimão
• Porto
• Rio Maior
• Santarém
• São Brás de Alportel
• Sardoal
• Setúbal
• Silves
• Sines
• Sousel
• Torres Vedras
• Vila Franca de Xira

 

The rules for municipalities at high risk (and with low population density) are:

• Teleworking is compulsory (if duties allow);
• Cultural shows until 22h30;
• Gyms without group classes, medium and low risk sports modalities are still allowed (high risk modalities not);
• Weddings and christenings with 25% of the capacity;
• Restaurants, cafés and pastry shops until 22h30 or until 15h30 on weekends and public holidays (inside a maximum of four people per group and outside up to six people per group);
• Retail trade may operate until 21h00 during the week and until 15h30 on weekends and holidays;
• Food retailers may operate until 19h00 during the weekend and on public holidays;
• Limitation of circulation on public roads after 23h00 on high and very high risk municipalities.

Lisbon has once again recorded an incidence of over 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and is yet again on the Government’s risk list. There are also 18 other municipalities on this higher risk list, with all of these areas going back on the deconfinement.

Who’s in the red zone?

• Albufeira
• Almada
• Amadora
• Barreiro
• Cascais
• Constância
• Lisboa
• Loulé
• Loures
• Mafra
• Mira
• Moita
• Odivelas
• Oeiras
• Olhão
• Seixal
• Sesimbra
• Sintra
• Sobral de Monte Agraço

Mariana Vieira da Silva recalls that the restriction of circulation on public roads only applies to municipalities that recorded, in two consecutive weeks, incidence assessments that place them on the list of high and very high risk. The Minister of State and of the Presidency also reveals that the risk matrix, which defines who moves back or forward in the de-confinement, has been assessed every week.

“What we have decided here today is based, in practice, on the same risk matrix. It is the municipalities with 240 cases [per 100,000 inhabitants] twice that we apply an additional restriction to respond to the situation we are experiencing. We continue, weekly, to evaluate the matrix that we presented in March”.

The limitation of circulation on public roads will also cover some municipalities in the Algarve region, admits Mariana Vieira da Silva. “The rules serve to guide us and anticipate reality” and even if many municipalities in the Algarve are not yet in this situation, they should be next week, unless there is a reversal of the growth trend, she warned. The minister also said that the vaccination certificate for people who have been recovered is already available and that the problem regarding the digital certificate has already been corrected, given that communication about antigen tests has been resolved in some laboratories.

The limitation of circulation on public roads after 23h00 hours in municipalities with high or very high risk will not have exceptions. In other words, not even those who already have the digital certificate will be able to circulate after 23h00.

When questioned about the constitutionality of the decision (without the declaration of a state of emergency), Vieira da Silva reaffirmed that the Government “has the conditions” to make this decision.

According to Mariana Vieira da Silva, all those over 60 years old (who were waiting for the second dose of the Astrazeneca vaccine) should be vaccinated on July 11th. The minister said that there will be a “significant acceleration in the planned schedule”.

The Council of Ministers also extended a set of social support in response to the economic effects of the pandemic, including the prohibition of cutting off water, electricity, natural gas and internet. At the press conference, Ana Mendes Godinho, Minister of Labour, also detailed the Government’s decisions, namely the extension of the extraordinary support to the progressive recovery for companies with a drop in turnover of more than 25%. According to the minister, over 400,000 people were covered by this support. Ana Mendes Godinho also said that the support could go up to 100% during the months of July and August.

The support for culture and tourism self-employed workers and managing partners was also extended and the extraordinary mechanism for the payment of the 100% covid sickness benefit was extended until September.

About the extension of social support, the Minister of Labour underlines that more than 3 million people and more than 174,000 companies have already been covered, for a total amount of 4,138 million euros. “Today we have reinforced and extended for another two months the employment support measures in the dimension of support for the progressive recovery of activity and support for self-employed workers in culture and tourism, since they reflect the sectors most affected at the moment and where there was no capacity for recovery. For July and August support for independent workers has also been extended,” she explained.

“The situation we are in does not compare with many difficult moments that the country has experienced in the last year and a half, but it is a more serious situation. An uncontrolled situation is when we are not monitoring it and taking measures to control it. We’ve all seen the country’s situation in green, yellow and now red. What’s necessary is that all of us, in our day-to-day lives, in the choices we make, with whom we are, where we go, if we wear masks, that we all comply. The important thing is the clarity to realise that Portugal is in a more difficult situation than it was, it has not stopped getting worse and we all need to take measures in this matter”, said Mariana Vieira da Silva, Minister of State and of the Presidency.

 

SOURCE: PÚBLICO

 

Council of Ministers meeting Press Conference

 

A day after Portugal entered the red zone of the risk matrix for the first time, the Council of Ministers met this Thursday, 24 June, to make decisions on de-confinement.

The Minister of State and the Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva, announced that the Council of Ministers approved a resolution extending the calamity situation until 23h59 of 11 July and that “changes the measures applicable to certain municipalities”.

Vieira da Silva also announced that, at this moment, “Portugal is clearly in the red zone of our matrix so there are no conditions” for continuing de-confinement. The country currently registers an incidence of 129 new cases per hundred thousand inhabitants and an R(t) of 1.18.

Portugal has entered the red zone in the risk matrix, which crosses the incidence of the disease with the contagion index (Rt), but there are other indicators, such as hospitalisations, which, despite still being far from the red lines, help to compose “a situation that is complex and requires everyone’s attention,” said the minister.

There are 19 municipalities on alert.

Municipalities with 120 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (or 240 cases in the case of low density municipalities):

• Alenquer
• Avis
• Castelo de Vide
• Castro Daire
• Chamusca
• Constância
• Faro
• Lagoa
• Mira
• Olhão
• Paredes de Coura
• Portimão
• Porto
• Rio Maior
• Santarém
• São Brás de Alportel
• Silves
• Sousel
• Torres Vedras

 

As of this week, there are three municipalities that are going back on deconfinement: Albufeira, Lisbon and Sesimbra. In these municipalities, restaurants and similar establishments will have to close at 3. 15h30 on weekends, as well as commercial establishments in the food sector. Supermarkets and food retail establishments will have to close at 19h00 on weekends.

25 municipalities halt deconfinement.

Municipalities with two assessments in which they register an incidence higher than 120 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants (or 240 in the case of municipalities with low population density):

• Alcochete
• Almada
• Amadora
• Arruda dos Vinhos
• Barreiro
• Braga
• Cascais
• Grândola
• Lagos
• Loulé
• Loures
• Mafra
• Moita
• Montijo
• Odemira
• Odivelas
• Oeiras
• Palmela
• Sardoal
• Seixal
• Setúbal
• Sines
• Sintra
• Sobral de Monte Agraço
• Vila Franca de Xira

 

It will be possible to leave and enter the Lisbon Metropolitan Area with a negative test and covid certificate

Already this weekend it will be possible to leave and enter the Lisbon Metropolitan Area with a negative covid-19 test (antigen test taken less than 48 hours ago or PCR taken less than 72 hours ago) and the covid-19 digital certificate attesting to complete vaccination or recovery from the disease.

The rapid self-tests for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis will not be used to enter or leave the area. “Since they cannot have a laboratory result, the self-tests do not qualify”, revealed Mariana Vieira da Silva.

The timetable for the circulation ban will remain the same as last week, which means that this restriction will be in force between 15h00 on Friday and 06h00 on Monday. The “forms of enforcement” will also remain the same.

Telework remains compulsory only in some municipalities

There will also be no changes to the opening hours for commercial establishments, depending on the situation a particular municipality is in. The same applies to telework. “There are municipalities where it is compulsory again and others where it is no longer compulsory. This is the application of the rules that we had announced depending on the increase in incidence,” said the Minister of State and the Presidency.

The Minister Mariana Vieira da Silva rejects that there is a “total lack of control of the pandemic”, although Portugal is now in a “more serious situation”, which leads the government to “respond early” to the growth of the pandemic.

The Delta variant “is one explanation” for the increase in cases, but the executive “always” said that “the increase in social contacts” and the resumption of some “normality” would have an effect. However, “it was not expected to be this high,” she admitted.

“While we would all like to have a date for the end of this situation [the pandemic], it does not appear,” she said. But there are hopeful signs on the horizon: full vaccination of all citizens over 60 can have a “decisive effect” and the country is closer to achieving it, with “300,000 full vaccinations” per week. It is a “path of two or three weeks”, estimates Mariana Vieira da Silva.

The measures allow “time for the vaccination to reach all these ages of greater vulnerability and even all citizens”.

The Minister also revealed that economic support to the sectors most affected by the pandemic will continue. “Bearing in mind that they were scheduled to end when the deconfinement ended and it will not end, the support will be extended in terms that the Minister of the Economy will announce,” she revealed.

Risk matrix is to be maintained

The Government again rejects changing the covid-19 risk matrix, which is “the best instrument for this moment”.

“It has been throughout these months an important instrument so that when a municipality is showing a high incidence measures are taken,” said Minister Mariana Vieira da Silva.

“The measures we have taken take time and with this level of spread of the virus there is the expectation that the numbers will continue to grow,” she warned. It is necessary to vaccinate more and wait for the effects of the vaccination: the immunity conferred by the vaccine is only reached two weeks after the second dose (in the case of vaccines with two inoculations), recalled the minister.

SOURCE: PÚBLICO

 

 

Lisbon, June 21, 2021 (Lusa) – The campaign “Give change to those who need it” starts today in pharmacies across the country to help families made more vulnerable by the covid-19 pandemic, under the Emergency program helped 1,472 people.

The campaign, an initiative developed by Associação Dignitude launched in March 2020 and which aims to provide dignified access to prescription drugs for those who do not have the financial capacity to purchase them, starts today and ends on June 29.

Speaking to Lusa agency, Maria de Belém Roseira, ambassador of Associação Dignitude, explained that the campaign invites people who go to pharmacies to donate “their change”, which will revert to the Emergency Fund abem: Covid-19, within the scope of the medicine’s solidarity network specifically aimed at people who are victims of the consequences of the pandemic, who have lost income.

The collected donations will be fully applied to access medicines, products and health services to people who have become more vulnerable due to the pandemic.

People, according to Maria de Belém Roseira, are identified as having economic need through the association’s partners in the field, they are given a card with a name and an identifying bar code which they then show at the pharmacy.

“We created the program right when the pandemic broke out. Suddenly many people were without resources from one moment to the next and one of the most basic needs people have is to continue taking the medications that are prescribed to them, otherwise this tragedy will be added later to an episode of illness, be it acute or chronic, which gets worse because people do not have access”, he said.

Therefore, underlines Maria de Belém Roseira, the appeal for national solidarity is made through campaigns with the collaboration of Portuguese Pharmacies and local partner entities.

“For this campaign there will be around 600 pharmacies on the continent and in the Autonomous Regions, in the sense that people who go to these pharmacies round up their change, donate their change to the Emergency program abem: Covid-19. Gathering a lot of crumbs, even a few cents, we get an amount that is fully transferred to the fund that supports this program and that is also converted into support for our beneficiaries”, he explained.

According to the ambassador of Dignitude, the beneficiaries are identified by 47 local partners, such as Municipal Councils, Parish Councils, Private Institutions of Social Solidarity, Cáritas and Misericórdias.

“Our beneficiaries are not identified by us, but by the social partners. They are the ones who know the seriousness of the social situations they accompany. This program lives on collaborations between several. We don’t want to do what others can do better than us”, he said.

Maria de Belém highlighted that what Dignitude ensures is the transparent collection, rendering of accounts and its full allocation of support to people in the payment of the portion not reimbursed by the State in medicines that are prescribed by doctors.

According to data from the association, the program has helped 1,472 people by the end of May to access medicines, health products and services and 14,804 deliveries of hospital medication at home or in a pharmacy close to the beneficiaries’ homes, through articulation with 33 hospitals and 2,906 pharmacies.

 

 

Minister of State and of the Presidency, announcement at end of the Council of Ministers meeting 17th June 2021

 

“The epidemiological situation in the country has been deteriorating.

An incidence of 1.5 and an R(t) of 1.13”, announced Mariana Vieira da Silva, Minister of State and of the Presidency, at the end of the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers this Thursday, 17 June, to report on the update of the municipalities that advance and retreat in the levels of confinement.

“Apparently, there is a greater prevalence of the Delta variant in this territory and also in the Alentejo region. We await more data and the sequencing work that the National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge does.

The high number of cases in Lisbon has led the Government to decide to apply an extraordinary measure to the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon (AML – Alcochete; Almada; Amadora; Barreiro; Cascais; Lisboa; Loures; Mafra; Moita; Montijo; Odivelas; Oeiras; Palmela; Seixal; Sesimbra; Setúbal; Sintra; Vila Franca de Xira) in restricting mobility, prohibiting circulation both in and out of the AML throughout the weekend.

The traffic restrictions apply only to circulation to and from the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon. In other words, circulation between municipalities within the Metropolitan Area will continue to be permitted. The travel restrictions will start at 15h00 this Friday, 18th June and will finish at 6 am Monday 21^st June.

It is difficult to take these measures, but it is a condition that we believe is essential at this time to avoid spreading the situation in Lisbon to the whole country.

Based on data on incidence by municipality as of June 16, changes were introduced with regard to the municipalities covered by each of the decontamination phases:

The municipalities of Albufeira, Arruda dos Vinhos, Braga, Cascais, Lisbon, Loulé, Odemira, Sertã and Sintra are subject to the high risk measures of 1 May.

The municipality of Sesimbra applies the very high risk measures, dated 19 April;

The rules of phase 1, of June 10, apply to all other municipalities, namely the municipality of Vale de Cambra, which is moving towards decontamination.

Minister Mariana Vieira da Silva says there is a “very large number” of municipalities on alert compared to those recorded in last week’s assessment. Most of these municipalities are in the Lisbon region:

• Alcochete
• Águeda
• Almada
• Amadora
• Barreiro
• Grândola
• Lagos
• Loures
• Mafra
• Moita
• Montijo
• Odivelas
• Oeiras
• Palmela
• Sardoal
• Seixal
• Setúbal
• Sines
• Sobral de Monte Agraço
• Vila Franca de Xira

The restriction on circulation “is not a measure to control the pandemic”, says Mariana Vieira, adding that it will not be this decision that will bring the numbers down in the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon (AML). “It is an attempt to contain in this territory, not spreading to the rest of the country what is happening in Lisbon,” she says. “It is much more a measure to protect the rest of the country, than a measure to contain the pandemic in the AML,” she says.

Depending on the evolution, the situation now may mean, warns Vieira da Silva, that the country will not move forward in the deconfinement plan next week, as was foreseen in the plan announced by the government at the beginning of the month.

The minister also announced that the Council of Ministers has decided that the digital certificate can replace the presentation of tests in events where tests are mandatory. “There is a diversity of tests at lower prices,” recalled the minister, praising the possibility of there being events with tests, so that otherwise would have been banned.

SOURCE: PÚBLICO