Portugal Situation Report Saturday 6th March 2021
Introduction
Good morning – Firstly, a reminder that the ban on movement between municipalities is now in place from 8 pm last night until 5 am on Monday 8th March in mainland Portugal, with some exceptions provided for, within the scope of fighting the pandemic. These exceptions are the same as previously.
Regarding Covid-19, we start the day with two pieces of good news; the first being that the average transmissibility index (Rt) of SARS-CoV-2 is 0.71 in mainland Portugal, representing a downward trend in cases. The second good news is that one 1 million doses have now been administered in Portugal since the start of the program 2 months ago. The milestone was reached yesterday.
According to a report by the National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge (INSA) released yesterday on the epidemic curve, all regions have an Rt for five days below 1, with the exception of the two autonomous regions, which “suggests a clear decrease in the incidence of the virus in the country, taking into account that the transmissibility index reached 2.12 as the highest value during the pandemic”. More details in our separate story this morning.
Over the last two weeks we have reported four major earthquakes; one in Greece and three off the coast of New Zealand – the largest being 8.1 on the Richter scale 8.1 near Kermadec Islands Region on Thursday. Luckily these, in the case of the New Zealand ones, have not caused any damage, although extensive evacuation plans were put in place with people moving from the coastal areas along the north coast of North Island to higher ground. This was undertaken by all accounts calmly and in accordance the alerts and directions that were clearly in place.
Portugal is also a high-risk country as far as earthquakes are concerned, although thankfully those that do occur daily are seldom felt. However it is important to be aware that there is a risk as well as in some areas a risk of tsunamis. We all need therefore to know what action to take should a major earthquake occour. Each year in November, Portugal practices “A Terra Treme” the national earthquake exercise involving schools, businesses and individuals. To understand the risk and self-protection steps to take, please visit our page – a 10 minutes read which could save your life should a major earthquake occur.
Whilst on the subject of Civil Protection there was an important development on Thursday at the Council of Ministers meeting, with measures approved in the fields of integrated management of rural fires, planning of agricultural areas and forests, and the strengthening of civil protection. Most important is the defining of five strategic objectives (to strengthen governance in risk management; to improve knowledge about risks; to implement strategies for risk reduction; to improve preparedness in the event of risk; and to involve citizens in the knowledge of risks), which translate into projects and activities to be implemented by Central and Local Administration. This is a very welcomed and important approach, as the understanding of risk is essential in determining preparedness in both prevention and self-protection of rural fires.
It was announced yesterday by the President and executive director of Formula 1 Stefano Domenicali, that the Portuguese Formula 1 Grand Prix, in Portimão, will take place on May 2nd, hoping “to be able to receive spectators in Portimão safely again this year and we are working with the promoter on the details of this plan”. The decision to hold the event again in the Algarve is if course very welcomed – the issue is with or without spectators.
There is no decision yet on whether spectators will be able to attend and given the problems last year with overcrowding in various stands and in some indoor areas and clearly social distancing not being respected, we are sure that Government will take a very cautious approach in this regards. It is one thing to produce plans which incorporate DGS safety standards, but another in ensuring these plans are properly executed and enforced. Crowd management and enforcement will require a large deployment of private security and the security forces and the implications of this needs to be taken into full account.
Although the organisers and promotors are obviously pressing for the inclusion of spectators, and there are many fans who are naturally keen to attend, it would be unacceptable regardless of the importance of tourism to the economy, to allow in just 7 weeks’ time a relaxation of confinement to the extent that would undoubtedly bring thousands of people together in one location, if in doing so this results in any risk of contagion. This must not be seen as an exception to other measures that are in place at that time. In other words safety first. We wait and see developments
It is important not to let our guard down at this crucial time.
Have a Safe weekend
Covid-19
Yesterday’s DGS Covid-19 figures compared with the previous day are as follows:
Confirmed Cases: 808,405 (+ 949 / + 0.12 %)
Number of admitted: 1,583 (-125 /-7.32 %)
Number of ICU admitted: 383 (-16 /-4.01 %)
Deaths: 16,486 (+ 28 / + 0.17 %)
Recovered: 728,659 (+ 1606 / + 0.22 %)
Active Cases: 63,260 (-685 / -1.07%)
In analysing these trends it is noted that: deaths were the joint lowest since 24th October 2020; new cases were higher than previous day; recovered cases were more than new cases, for 32 consecutive days; the number of recovered patients exceeded that of new infections; there were the lowest number in hospital since 25th October, decreased by 5286 patients since 1st Feb.
The numbers in ICU were the lowest since 12th November – a decrease of 55.7% since 1st February; the number of active cases lowest since 3rd November, decreasing for 33 consecutive days and over 119,000 since 31st January (in 26 days); those under surveillance were the lowest since August 2020 and there were zero deaths in the Algarve.
Health
Percentage of total deaths attributed to the Covid-19 virus has dropped by nearly a half.
The percentage of deaths in Portugal attributed to Covid-19 has dropped, between 8th and 21st February, to about half of the percentage seen in the previous fortnight.
The number of deaths associated with Covid-19 between 25th January and 7th February had been above 40% of the total deaths, but in the following two weeks it decreased to 21.7% of the total in the week of February 15th to 21st, in which 2824 people died, 696 more than the average for the same period in the last five years, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE)
Between 8th and 14th February, 3,349 people died, 31.6% of whom with Covid-19, 175 more than the average for that week in the years 2015 to 2019.
Covid-19: Researchers use 35,000 samples to assess infectiousness of variants.
Porto, 05 Mar 2021 (Lusa) – Researchers from the Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S) will, through more than 35 thousand nasopharyngeal samples, evaluate co-infections with SARS-CoV-2 and see if the infectivity of the variants is changed over the past year.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, Didier Cabanes, researcher and director of the testing center for Covid-19 created at the institute of the University of Porto, explained today that the project has “two strands”: one scientific and the other technical.
Within the scope of the Horizon 2020 program, i3S received funding of 300 thousand euros from the Northern Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR-N), based on its biobank of nasopharyngeal samples tested for SARS-CoV-2, which gathers more than 35 thousand samples, one third of which are positive for Covid-19.
Since March 2020, the biobank has been keeping samples in freezers at temperatures between 80 and 20 minus degrees Celsius and will allow evaluating co-infections in the last year with SARS-CoV-2.
“We will try to analyse whether other pathogens such as batteries or fungi may be associated with infection by the new coronavirus and if they vary seasonally”, explained the leading investigator of the Molecular Microbiology group at i3S.
In parallel, the researchers will assess whether the infectivity and aggressiveness of SARS-CoV-2 variants has changed over the past year.
Within the scope of the project, which runs until June 2023, the University of Porto institute acquired “robots” to “automate” the diagnosis of Covid-19 in the laboratory with the capacity to analyse 350 samples per day.
Covid-19 resulted in the death of 17,000 health workers in 2020, says Amnesty International.
At least 17,000 health professionals have died of Covid-19 in 2020 worldwide, said Amnesty International (AI), calling for “urgent action” to accelerate the vaccination of these “highly exposed” workers “and several times” unprotected “.
“It is a tragedy and an injustice that, every 30 minutes, a health professional dies with Covid-19. Workers around the world have put their lives at risk to try to keep people safe from Covid-19, but many have been left unprotected and paid the highest price “, denounces Steve Cockburn, AI specialist in Economic and Social Justice, cited in this analysis conducted by the non-governmental organization (NGO) and carried out in partnership with Public Services International and UNI Global Union.
The analysis work involved data released by Governments, unions, the press and civil society organizations in more than 80 countries.
The organizations admit that the numbers are likely to be higher, since not all States have gathered official information or have only done so partially.
Data from the Portuguese Directorate-General for Health (DGS), released last Monday, indicated that close to 28 thousand health professionals have been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in Portugal, of whom 19 died and more than 16 thousand recovered.
Covid-19: Women were most affected by the pandemic at the University of Coimbra.
Coimbra, 05 Mar 2021 (Lusa) – A study to assess the impact of the pandemic on the faculty and researchers of the University of Coimbra (UC) concludes that women were the most affected group, it was announced today.
Within the Coimbra academy, women “were the group most affected by the severity of the psychological and emotional effects associated with confinement, having reported more often feelings of anxiety, sadness, concern for the professional future and perceived lack of control over the situation” , said the UC, in a press release sent to the Lusa agency.
The study, which included a survey of 281 UC professors and researchers in September 2020, was carried out within the framework of the European project “SUPERA” (Promotion of Equality in Research and Academia), in which the Centre for Social Studies of the University participates. Coimbra University.
More than two thirds of the people surveyed reported that they started to dedicate more time to domestic work and to accompany children and young people, with women noting “a greater influence of the pandemic in the allocation of time to professional work”.
The Covid-19 pandemic pointed to the adoption of contingency measures “which had strong implications for the organization and conditions of academic work”, such as the transition to ‘online’ classes or the compatibility of teaching and scientific activity with the care of children , explained the project’s local coordinator, Mónica Lopes, mentioned in the press release.
“This study has shown that the new conditions for carrying out teaching and research work have had a different impact on women and men in academia, making visible or accentuating pre-existing inequalities in terms of working conditions, possibilities of work-family reconciliation, division of work, academic work, and scientific performance “, added the researcher.
Portuguese government hopes to reopen tourism in May.
Portugal hopes to be able to open borders and tourism in early May thanks to certificates of vaccination or tests, the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rita Marques, told the BBC today.
“For the time being, non-essential travel needs to be restricted, but we believe that Portugal will be able to allow unrestricted travel soon, not only for vaccinated people, but also for people who are immune or who test negative,” she said.
According to the official, “it will happen soon, in about two months. Perhaps in May, early May” she added, guaranteeing that she plans to “have everything ready to allow the British to visit the country”.
Rita Marques told the British public station that the Government is “working to reopen Tourism as quickly as possible in a safe way” and showed confidence in the so-called “green pass” to be issued by the countries of the European Union.
On the 17th, the European Commission is going to present a legislative proposal to create a digital free pass that will make it possible to resume travel at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, proving the vaccination or the recovery of citizens.
The pass may include not only a certificate of vaccination against Covid-19, but also test results or immunity information for people who have recovered from the disease.
The United Kingdom remained the main tourist emitter market in 2020, representing 16.3% of overnight stays from non-residents, despite the 78.5% decrease compared to the previous year, said the Portuguese National Statistics Institute.
Currently, travel between Portugal and the United Kingdom is prohibited and there are no direct flights, although nationals or residents of both countries are allowed to travel with a valid justification and evidence that they have tested the coronavirus with a negative result.
The British government has already said it does not intend to change the rules before 17th May, after evaluating a study with recommendations for safely restoring international travel.
Schools – Protective equipment
The Ministry of Education announced yesterday that it has made about seven million euros available for schools to buy masks and other materials and personal protective equipment against Covid-19.
Specifically with regard to masks, the Ministry of Education explains in a statement that, although mandatory use for 1st cycle students is not foreseen, the amount of the budget was defined in order to allow schools to buy enough masks to these students.
“Bearing in mind the signposts of parents and guardians for their students to use this equipment, it was understood for reasons of prudence that it would be considered for its acquisition for 1st cycle students, with the respective guardians being responsible for decision on its use ”, he says.
According to a note from the Directorate-General for School Establishments (DGEstE), which has already been sent to schools, the materials to which these seven million euros are destined are detailed: three masks for each student, teacher and employee, gloves and aprons for operational assistants, and disinfectant.
“The provision of free masks and other personal protective equipment to students and professionals, as well as disinfection and cleaning products, is part of the set of measures to prevent and mitigate the risk of transmission of Covid-19, which have allowed increase the security of the school space ”, underlines the authority.
Ministry of Health creates new National Trauma Commission.
The creation of a green route for trauma in the provision of pre- and intra-hospital health care is one of the new competences of the renewed National Trauma Commission, according to an order today published in Diário da República.
The order of the Deputy Secretary of State and Health, António Lacerda Sales, renews the constituted National Trauma Commission, which is now made up of representatives of the various bodies of the Ministry of Health with attributions in the field of health and the management of “especially relevant” means. for coordination regarding trauma”.
In addition to ensuring the implementation of the green route of trauma, this commission will propose the model of operation and articulation of the agents participating in the network, identify and encourage the dissemination and implementation of good practice standards and assess the needs in terms of equipment and infrastructure in the emergency services integrated into the hospital urgency and emergency network.
The order also establishes that the commission proposes the creation of the National Trauma Registry in the Urgent Patients Guidance Centres (CODU) and pre-hospital medical emergency means and in the urgency and emergency hospital network, and consequent epidemiological surveillance of trauma in Portugal. , in conjunction with INEM, Shared Services of the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA).
The National Trauma Commission, which by March 31st is expected to present an activity plan for the year 2021, is also responsible for promoting the appointment of local trauma coordinators, from each institution in the hospital network with emergency medical and surgical services (multipurpose) to evaluate the management and reserve mechanisms of relevant blood products in this context and identify the pertinence of constituting a specific component within the scope of the Strategic Medicines Reserve.
Other news
Government approves investment of 30 Million Euros in measures to enhance forest landscape.
The Council of Ministers today approved a set of measures under the policy of enhancing the forest landscape that involve an investment of around 30 million euros, announced today the Minister of the Environment.
At the end of the Council of Ministers (CM) dedicated to forests, which today took place in Monsanto, Lisbon, João Matos Fernandes highlighted that the largest share, of more than 20 million euros, will be destined to investments in public forests and in forest perimeters.
The minister also highlighted the investment of five million euros in the extension of intervention projects for the restoration of ecosystems started in 2016 in the Peneda-Gerês Natural Park.
According to the communiqué of the CM, the Government today approved a resolution for the projects of restoration and enhancement of natural habitats, with structural prevention against fires, in five parks, namely the Natural Parks of the North Coast, Alvão, Serra da Estrela, Sintra-Cascais and the Guadiana Valley.
“The funds dedicated to these projects go from 21 to 26 million euros, with a total of 19 protected areas now covered”, he said.
These projects will “focus on the active conservation of protected areas, associating the investment directed to the restoration and enhancement of natural habitats with the structural prevention against fires, also guaranteeing the provision of the means and equipment necessary for this purpose”, added the statement.
The remainder will be distributed between the launch of four more landscape plans and the extension of co-management measures for parks and protected areas.