Portugal Situation Report Saturday 26th June 2021
Introduction
Good morning – Yesterday was a very busy day in terms of dealing with a larger number and more diverse range of various decree laws, resolutions and orders that were published by Government.
First was the Resolution of the Council of Ministers concerning the extension of the Situation of Emergency until the 14th July 23.59 hrs. This basically follows the communique of the Council of Ministers issued on Thursday stating which municipalities had moved into, or remained, at HIGH risk (25) and VERY HIGH Risk (3), as well as the majority which are subject to the measures of the 10th June (Phase 1). At this time the country is NOT moving forward to Phase 2 scheduled for 28th June 2021
These weekly reviews and implementation the day following decisions being made, is clearly placing considerable pressure on some businesses in terms of planning, as closing times can change overnight affecting staffing schedules for example.
Once again the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML) is subject to travel restrictions as we set out in the Facebook post yesterday. The current restriction is until 0600 hrs Monday 28th June. This and the other measures in place can be found on our All Risk Municipalities page here.
The other piece of legislation was Order no 6325-B/2021 published 25th June 2021 concerning the schedule time of closing of the serving of food and Beverage in hotel restaurants in Very High risk areas as 2230 hrs as well as the times for the operation of spas and thermal spars in tourist resorts etc in High and Very High Risk areas.
The other was the Implementation of the Digital Certificate law both for use for those travelling to Portugal and internally within Portugal. With regards to those arriving this is not effective until 1st July whereas internal use takes effect 25th June. This has been implemented for internal use with regards to travel to and from the AML this weekend if your purpose of travel is other than that allowed under the exemptions. Please see our post on the Facebook page this morning as well as the Decree itself which can be downloaded here together with the DGS guide on its use which we published in English in PDF format.
Lastly, unconnected with Covid-19, was the publication of Council of Minister’s resolution 78/2021 which approves the National Program for Companion Animals, which constitutes a new framework for public policy on the well-being of pet animals. This is by far the most comprehensive and ambitious development for the well-being of companion animals, and includes for instance the establishment of the Animal Ombudsman, with the mission of guaranteeing the defence and promotion of animal welfare and the preparation, by the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests, IP (ICNF, IP), of a national strategy for stray animals. The overall framework of the plan can be downloaded here.
Regarding movement in and out of the AML the police (PSP) have made it clear that they will be focusing their actions mainly on the control of people who travel by train, bus and plane. According to the Government, people who have a digital certificate or negative test to covid-19 can enter and leave the Metropolitan Area, as well as those who allowed under the exceptions in place, which we have posted under our Facebook page yesterday.
The spokesperson for Cometlis (Lisbon Metropolitan Police) also said that, last week the PSP directed actions towards awareness, but this week it will be “more in an attitude of inspection and control”.
The measures in force are there to try and avoid the spread of the infection to other parts of the country, so unless your journey is really necessary, carefully consider the risk first before making it.
Turning to the situation regarding rural fires, we saw yesterday around 60 rural fires with a fire near Aljezur, western Algarve, which burned for nearly two hours, with some 100 operatives responding supported by 3 helicopters. Luckily this was in an area of very low population. We once again remind people to avoid any actions which could inadvertently lead to a fire and to be aware of action to take should a fire occur in your area.
With that please have a Safe weekend
Headlines
50% of residents in Portugal have already taken at least one dose of the vaccine
According to DGS yesterday, 50% of all residents in mainland Portugal have already taken at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and more than 30% have the full vaccination schedule.
So far, about 7.8 million vaccines have been inoculated in the continent, which allowed to start the vaccination schedule in almost five million people, more than three million of whom already have their complete vaccination (either because they took two doses of vaccines with the two-dose vaccination schedule, either because they took a dose of Janssen vaccine).
The country is, therefore, increasingly close to reaching the defined goal of having 70% of the population vaccinated, with at least one dose, during the month of August.
Breaking news
Health authorities in Germany today placed Portugal on the ‘red list’, a decision that will take effect from Tuesday and that will force all travellers coming from Portuguese territory to a 14-day quarantine.
“Portugal is classified as an area of [SARS-CoV-2] variants of concern initially for two weeks,” says the decision of the Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s federal health agency, adding “what an extension” of this period. “it’s possible”.
Russia was also considered an area of concern regarding variants of SARS-CoV-2 and, like Portugal, was part of the German ‘red list’.
The decision will take effect at 00:00 on Tuesday (June 29).
On Tuesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized the lack of common rules in the European Union (EU) regarding travel and used as an example the increase in infections in Portugal, a situation that “could have been avoided”.
Covid-19
COVID-19Situation report 25th June 2021
Confirmed Cases: 871.483 (+ 1604 / + 0.18 %)
Number of admitted: 431 (+ 4 / + 0.94 %)
Number of ICU admitted: 108 (+ 2 / + 1.89 %)
Deaths: 17.081 (+ 2 / + 0.01 %)
Recovered: 823.960 (+ 857 / + 0.10 %)
Active cases: 30,442 (+ 745 /+ 2.4%)
Safe Communities comparisons/trends: show deaths were below last week’s daily average; new daily cases were the highest daily figure since 19th February 2021 Well above last week’s daily average; 65% (1049) of new cases were in Lisbon and Vale do Tejo – higher percentage than Thursday. In hospital there was an increase 5th highest total since 19th April anfd the number in ICU is the highest since 22nd April 2021. Active cases showed a large increase, the highest total since 26th March 2021.
Health
Incidence and Transmission rates
Portugal continues to evolve unfavourably in the risk matrix, as revealed in this Friday’s bulletin from the Directorate-General for Health (DGS), which indicates an incidence that is now 137.5 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants in the national territory and 138 .7 on the mainland.
The levels once again surpass those registered in the last update, two days ago, when the indicators were 128.6 and 129.6, respectively. These are numbers clearly above the red line of 120, which have already forced the brake on de-confinement throughout the national territory.
On the other hand, the R(t), the transmissibility index, decreased again, but still remains on the high side of the risk matrix, 1.14 in the entire national territory and 1.15 on the mainland .
The transmission index was, on Wednesday, 1.17 in the entire national territory and 1.18 in the continent.
The incidence rate in Porto is 125 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, leaving the county on alert, and in Lisbon it rose from 306 to 438 cases, getting closer to the next level of risk, from 480 cases.
According to the municipal figures as at 22nd June, There are currently 29 municipalities with more than 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, a number well above the eight last week. Of these, three have already surpassed 480 cases, the second most serious level in the categories used by the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention: Albufeira, with 494, Constância, with 496, and Lagoa (Azores), with 530.
In total, there are currently 58 municipalities above the limits set by the Government, 18 more than last week. Of the 308 municipalities in the country, 250 are below the limit of 120 cases per 100 inhabitants.
In the Algarve most municipalities have increased in terms of the incidence rate, with 3 showing a decrease and one the same.
Restrictions on movement to and from the AML. PSP will monitor those traveling by train, bus and plane
The PSP has reinforced the inspection from this Friday in the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon (AML), focusing the actions mainly on the control of people who travel by train, bus and plane.
We are going to direct actions to people who intend to move outside the AML, both in individual transport and collective passenger transport, whether aeronautical, rail and road,” the spokesperson for the Lisbon Metropolitan Command (Cometlis) told the Lusa agency ) of the PSP, commissioner Artur Serafim.
The GNR has also announced that it is going to carry out an operation again to inspect and control circulation to and from AML, being “particularly attentive” to movements in the main road and rail axes.
On Thursday, the Council of Ministers announced that the ban on movement into or out of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area will remain this weekend, between 15:00 today and 06:00 on Monday, with the exceptions provided by law, due to the increase in covid-19 cases in this zone.
According to the Government, people who have a digital certificate or negative test to covid-19 can enter and leave the Metropolitan Area.
The Cometlis spokesperson explained that the police control will essentially focus on people who intend to enter or leave the AML by train, bus and also through the airport, noting that tourists are not covered by this inspection.
Artur Serafim stated that the PSP will control the documentation that certifies that the person can travel, namely verifying that they have a digital certificate or proof of the negative covid-19 diagnostic test.
The commissioner explained that the test can be done in the laboratory, done 72 hours before the trip, or fast, carried out 48 hours, and that the certificate can be presented in physical or digital format.
The spokesperson for Cometlis also said that, last week, the PSP directed actions towards awareness, but this week it will be “more in an attitude of inspection and control”.
Enforcement
Vaccination fraud. PJ constituted more than 50 defendants and has already opened 216 inquiries
In an official statement, the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Judiciary Police report that a total of 216 criminal investigations were initiated on suspicion of deviation or fraud in the vaccination process, of which around 30 were concluded , from north to south of the country, including in the autonomous regions .
Also according to official information, so far more than 50 defendants have been constituted.
At issue are “evidence of the commission of crimes, above all, of undue receipt of advantage, abuse of power, embezzlement, illegitimate appropriation or abuse of trust “.
According to the PJ, “these investigations implied the strict temporal definition of the acts under suspicion and the verification of the conformity of each one of the concrete situations with the current regulations, taking into account the succession of regulatory provisions meanwhile issued in this regard”.
It also adds that “the protected nature of some information, determining the assessment of conducts under investigation, as it may be – in some cases – covered by medical confidentiality or data protection, implies recourse to appropriate procedural measures to derogate from such constraints, which, of course, is reflected in the speed of ongoing processes “.
The investigations continue, under the authority of the Public Ministry, assisted by the Judiciary Police.
Improper vaccination in Porto. Case delivered to the PJ and ARS opens inquiry
Gouveia e Melo reacts to cases of vaccination in people over 18 in Porto: “It’s an act of indiscipline”. The case was communicated to the PJ and the General Inspection of Health Activities.
The decision of the Cerco vaccination centre, in Porto, to allow people who are “outside the current order of priorities” to be vaccinated for two days, constitutes a “disobedience”. And Vice Admiral Gouveia e Melo wants to see consequences “quickly”. “It’s an act of indiscipline,” he says.
“I’ve never had a case of this magnitude, it’s the first time. This, for all events, enshrines a clear disobedience to the plan: someone with responsibility who decides, outside the plan, to innovate and vaccinate people who are not currently eligible for vaccination,” said Gouveia e Melo to journalists, during a visit this Friday to the vaccination centre on the island of Porto Santo, Madeira.
“As soon as we heard about the case, we tried to collect data and collected it. In two/three hours, and as soon as we had the minimum amount of data, we made a report to our contact with the Judiciary Police and a report to the General Health Inspectorate to carry out an investigation”, he said, also referring that he spoke with the president of the Regional Health Administration of the North (ARS) “so that this would stop happening and that all the consequences of this act would be removed, which, for all intents and purposes, is an act of indiscipline”.
The ARS North has already confirmed the opening of an investigation file to the successful vaccination centre that operates under the jurisdiction of the Health Centres Grouping Eastern Harbour, whose director, Dulce Pinto, JN is trying to contact.
The ARS North already confirmed to JN have opened an investigation file to the successful vaccination centre that operates under the jurisdiction of the Health Centres Grouping Eastern Harbour, whose director, Dulce Pinto, JN is trying to contact.
“I can’t fire people, of course. I asked the structure to quickly take the consequences that have to be taken, because there has to be discipline. I’m a military, in a plane of this complexity, with this urgency and being massive, I have to discipline. This will have to happen one way or another,” said the vice-admiral.
Costa convinced Merkel that the growth of the Delta variant in Portugal “is not linked” to the Champions final
The prime minister said today that the German chancellor “was clarified” at the European summit that the growth of the Delta variant in Portugal “is not linked” to the Champions League final, after Merkel’s criticisms of the Portuguese situation.
“I spoke with Mrs. Merkel and confirmed her own interpretation of the statements she had made, I didn’t really see an inconvenience or criticism, I saw it more as a hypothesis. She had a bit of the idea that the growth of the Delta variant could be associated with the Champions final, [but] she verified by the numbers that, as the final took place in the city of Porto and with two thirds of this variant concentrated in the Lisbon region, it was very difficult to establish any kind of connection”, said António Costa.
Speaking in statements to the Portuguese press in Brussels at the end of a two-day European Council, the Head of Government noted that this “has been seen in the evolution of the situation in Porto”.