Portugal Situation Report Wednesday 29^th December 2021

Introduction

Good morning: Over the last few days Covid-19 figures have very much been in focus with over 17,000 cases recorded yesterday, the highest so far since the start of the pandemic. There is little doubt that these high numbers are being driven by the Omicron variant, which according to the INSA, accounted for 75% of all cases, as of 27^ndDecember. Testing is at an all-time high and even though the positivity rate remains below the threshold of 4 (3.4%), compared with some 10% for the same week last year, this is still bound to result in a far higher number of new daily cases, compared to what we have seen in recent weeks.

With a transmission rate increasing from 1.11 last Friday to 1.23 on Monday, and an incidence rate increasing by 27% to over 800 in just 3 days, how far these numbers of new cases will increase and the effect it will have on hospitalisations, serious illnesses and deaths, remains to be seen. We await today’s figures.

The difference between this year and the same week in 2020, is that deaths are 80% lower, and hospitalisations and those in ICU some 70% lower. Last year at this time there were no vaccines available to the general public and as a consequence the number of hospitalisations grew to an all-time high of 6869 on 1^st February 2021 and 904 in ICU four days later.

Whilst the new Omicron variant is making its way across the world and here in Portugal with record new cases, new data from Our World in Data shows that the death rate per 1 million of population in Portugal is one of the lowest in Europe. Currently only Sweden, Finland, Spain and Cyprus have a lower death rate than Portugal. The current rate is 1.32 deaths per 1 million based on data provided for December 27th 2021.

To help reduce the spread, protect ourselves and others, it is essential that we all follow the advice given by DGS and others by reducing gatherings especially over the New Year and wearing face masks indoors. Remember on 30th, 31^st and January 1, 2022, a limitation of concentrations greater than 10 people in public spaces and public roads will apply, unless they all belong to the same cohabiting household. We can expect this to be enforced by police.

When visiting family and friends (especially those who may be vulnerable) who do not live with you, we ask urge people to follow DGS advice by taking a Covid-19 test, can be a self-test. This will help in reducing the risk of passing on the disease should you be infected.

Yesterday the Minister of Health Marta Temido explained that these high numbers are the “effect of a much more transmissible variant and that it is doubling every eight days”. Given the escalation in the number of new cases, the Minister of Health admits “an enormous pressure” on the health system.

She added that “It’s putting us all to the test and it’s resulting in enormous pressure on the functioning of some of our services, namely the contact lines, epidemiological inquiries, screenings. We are working to give a better response at that level, but the next few days are of enormous pressure on the system”, admits Marta Temido. It is worth noting that with the models we have we will reach 37 thousand cases in the first week of January”, said the minister.

In view of the “overwhelming and tremendous numbers”, the Minister of Health calls on people to “RESTRICT CONTACTS in the face of a highly transmissible variant”.

If, however, you are venturing out on New Year’s Eve, a reminder to do not drink and drive. The police are conducting various New Year operations aimed at road safety, and the last thing that you would wish is to spend time in a police station. With the health services over stretched, we ask everyone to act responsibly, in order to reduce pressure on them.

Apart from Covid-19 which is still with us, we end the year with some good news. The first of these is that the La Palma volcanic eruption is finally over which is a huge relief to those residents there who suffered greatly from this for over 90 days. Further good news in the lead up to New Year’s Eve and Day, is that the weather outlook is for temperatures above average and generally dry. (Yesterday it was 21,6C in Aljezur). This contrasts with same time last year when snow and ice warnings were in place!

With that more optimistic note our team thank you for following and sharing our posts during 2021 and wish you All a Happy and Safe New Year.

Headlines

Covid-19: Omicron variant reached 75% case proportion on Monday

Lisbon, December 28, 2021 (Lusa) – The Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes covid-19 disease, reached an estimated proportion of 75% on Monday, according to a report by the National Health Institute Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), released today.

The report on the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal indicates that there was an “exponential growth” of probable cases of the Omicron variant, while there was a reduction in the circulation of the Delta variant.

The data indicate that the Ómicron variant is dominant in Portugal (more than 50% of cases) and that, according to the INSA, this “sudden increase in community circulation is parallel to the scenario observed in other countries, such as Denmark and the United Kingdom”.

The report, carried out by the Bioinformatics Nucleus of the Department of Infectious Diseases at INSA, states that to date 24,198 sequences of the genome of the new coronavirus have been analyzed, obtained from samples collected in more than 100 laboratories, hospitals and institutions, representing 303 municipalities of Portugal.

An average of 533 sequences per week have been analyzed since the beginning of June 2021, from samples collected at random in laboratories distributed throughout the 18 districts of mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira, covering an average of 129 municipalities per week .

In week 50, from December 13th to 19th, the Omicron worry variant registered a provisional relative frequency of 10.1% (data calculated up to December 14th).

“According to the estimates obtained based on the real-time monitoring strategy of the ‘failure’ in the detection of the S gene, since December 6 there has been an exponential growth in the proportion of probable cases of the Omicron variant, having reached an estimated proportion of 75% on the 27th of December”, says the INSA in the report.

WHO warns on the rapid spread of Omicron

Although slightly less dangerous than Delta, the rapid spread of the Omicron variant will not prevent a large number of hospital admissions, “particularly among the unvaccinated”

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned this Tuesday that the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus will result in a “large number of hospitalizations”, even if it turns out to be slightly less dangerous than Delta.

“A rapid increase in Omicron, as we are seeing in several countries, even if combined with a slightly less severe disease, will still result in a large number of hospital admissions, particularly among the unvaccinated,” said Catherine Smallwood, a senior WHO official Europe.

Faced with uncertainty over the new variant first detected in late November in South Africa, countries are vacillating between tight restrictions and a more flexible strategy due to less severe signals from Omicron.

“It is too early to say whether the Omicron wave will be more or less severe than Delta,” Smallwood told the France-Presse news agency.

Smalwood noted that “preliminary data on the first affected populations in Europe”, England, Scotland and Denmark, show that Omicron “may result in a lower risk of hospitalization compared to Delta”.

However, the emergency response specialist urged that these preliminary data be treated “with caution”, because, at the moment, the observed cases are mainly in “young and healthy populations in countries with high rates of vaccination”.

Since the South African authorities raised the alert, Omicron has been detected in at least 110 countries, including Portugal, where it is already dominant. 

Covid-19 Vaccinations one year on

On 27^th December 2020, Dr. António Sarmento, a 65-year-old infectious disease physician at the Hospital de São João, in Porto, received the first dose of the vaccine against covid-19 in Portugal.

The doctor recalls the moment, leaves an appeal and reminds that as long as the virus is not controlled worldwide, no country is safe.

As of December 27, 2021 nearly 8.7 million people have been vaccinated and more than 2.5 million have received the booster dose.

The first to be vaccinated were health professionals and workers and users of nursing homes.

The vaccination process was not linear and even had some controversies in between, from batch delivery failures to improper vaccination problems – such as, for example, healthy people who received the vaccine before their time.

These cases led to the resignation of Francisco Ramos, on February 3, replaced by Vice Admiral Gouveia e Melo, who coordinated the vaccination plan against covid-19 until September, when the task force was dissolved.

On April 21, the criteria for decreasing age began to be applied, although people with diseases considered to be at risk continued to have priority. It is also at this stage that self-scheduling came into operation.

By October reached a record: 85% of the population who had already received two doses. Portugal thus became the country with the most vaccines administered per head of population in the world.

The figures show that Covid-19 vaccination has succeeded in avoiding many encountering serious illness and saved lives.

Covid-19

Covid-19 DGS Situation report 28^th December 2021

Confirmed: 1.303.291 (+ 17,172 / + 1.34 %)

Admitted: 936 (+ 22 / + 2.41 %)

Admitted to ICU: 152 (+ 2 / + 1.33 %)

Deaths: 18.909 (+ 19 / + 0.10 %)

Recovered: 1.169.841 (+ 8226 / + 0.71 %)

Active cases: 114,541 (+8927 /+8.4%)

Trends

The number of new cases is a new maximum since the beginning of the pandemic -, Health

Number of deaths higher than yesterday and above last week’s daily average

Small increase in those in ICU

Large increase in active cases both in number and percentage terms for one day.

CONTEXT AND COMPARISON TO 2020

By comparison the daily tests registered yesterday on  27^th December were just over 234,000 compared TO ONLY 17,441 on the same day last year – a difference of 13 times!.

The number of deaths, those in hospital and in ICU, stood at 58, 2967 and 503 respectively compared to the same day last year. Hospitalisation increased by 97 on 28^th Dec 2020 compared to the previous day

More details here:

https://covid19.min-saude.pt/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/666_DGS_boletim_20211228.pdf

Testing Lisbon Airport

Newsroom, December 27, 2021 (Lusa) – The laboratory stations at Lisbon airport had “high” waiting times between the 24th and 26th, due to the increased demand for tests to covid-19, according to ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, which ensures reinforcement of resources.

“Due to a strong increase in demand for covid-19 tests, associated with a reduction in the supply of the remaining test sites, between December 24th and 26th, the laboratory stations at Lisbon airport had high waiting times”, added the company.

According to ANA, “the situation is being monitored and resources reinforced”.

“However, and with a view to ensuring the need for passenger testing, and a further increase in demand being expected next weekend, Synlab’s laboratory at Lisbon Airport will be exclusive to ticket holders, between the 30th. December and January 2nd”, guaranteed the company.

According to ANA, “the appointments that have already been made will, of course, be complied with”.

Restaurants in the Algarve, Lisbon and Porto with expected losses close to 50% on New Year’s Eve

Since it was possible to carry out self-tests, there have been some reschedulings, but in general the scenario has been one of cancellations, according to the National Association of Restaurants (PRO.VAR)

Restaurants in the Algarve, Lisbon and Porto regions should have “breaks in the order of 50%” on New Year’s Eve, said this Tuesday the president of PRO.VAR – National Restaurant Association, Daniel Serra.

According to Daniel Serra, the situation in the catering sector is “unsafe” and entrepreneurs “are not sure if they are going to have a full house”.

“The situation is not good. What was expected at the end of the year was that the month of December would be very good, but it’s been very bad. These last days have been quite weak due to the confusion that exists around the mandatory tests [from screening to covid-19]”, he observed.

According to the president of PRO.VAR, “breaks will be in the order of 50% in the Algarve, Lisbon and Porto” on New Year’s Eve, even though the possibility of carrying out self-tests to run covid-19 has led to some rebooking of reservations.

“From the moment the possibility of carrying out self-tests was expanded, there were re-schedulings again, but there have been many cancellations,” he said.

Daniel Serra also noted that, given the period of containment and the increase in the number of new cases, the catering sector is recording “many losses” and that the situation at the moment “is not very reliable”.

In a letter sent to the Secretaries of State for Tourism and Commerce, to which Lusa had access today, PRO.VAR “urgently” requests the creation of an “inter-ministerial crisis office where measures to save the sector are determined” to resolve various problems related to support that were, according to the association, “insufficient or even non-existent”.

“The allocation of more than one billion, which became available because it is no longer used at TAP, will be essential for the allocation of immediate support to the restaurant sector. We are certain that this amount will be decisive in saving the majority of companies and preventing redundancies workers”, observes the association.

Covid-19: SNS24 Line Set Sunday Daily Test Request Record

Lisbon, December 27, 2021 (Lusa) – On Sunday, the SNS24 line beat the daily record of requests for tests to covid-19 issued, with a total of 22,103, according to data from the Shared Services of the Ministry of Health (SPMS).

According to the same data, the number of requests for testing to covid-19 issued by the SNS24 Line on Sunday surpassed the previous record of January 21st of this year (16,672).

During this month of December (days 1 to 26), 246,709 test requests to covid-19 were issued by SNS24, of which 101,077 in the last week.

“Regarding the issuance of provisional declarations of prophylactic isolation (DPIP), this December (days 1 to 26) were issued by the SNS 24 178,481, of which 79,256 in the last week”, refers to the SPMS note, adding that only on Sunday 14,297 declarations were issued.

SPMS pointed out that in recent days there has been a “very strong growth in demand for the SNS24 line”, which “has been following the evolution of the current pandemic context”.

The note also refers that, “to reinforce the quality of the service, a series of measures were taken, in close coordination with the DGS and the operator Altice Portugal”, including the opening of new ‘call centers’ “to benefit from resources available in other regions”, pointing out the case of Coimbra, opened last week, and beja, which will open in January.

It also points to “training and hiring new professionals”, making a total of 5,000, mostly nurses, but also psychologists, pharmacists, dentists, administrative staff, Portuguese Sign Language interpreters and sixth-year medical students, and “diversification categories of professionals and their respective tasks to optimize service on the line”.

Covid-19. Portuguese Embassy in Praia suspends consular assistance after suspected cases

Service to the public is temporarily suspended at the Consular Section of the Embassy of Portugal in Praia, capital of Cape Verde, after suspected cases of covid-19 among employees, was announced this Monday.

“All users of the Consular Section of the Portuguese Embassy in Praia are informed that, with suspicion of positive cases of covid-19 among embassy employees and wishing to avoid a contagion situation for the community, the public service for all services is temporarily suspended while the necessary procedures to detect possible cases of infection are adopted,” the embassy announced in a press release.

The same source assured that the services of the Consular Section will be resumed soon, while all the appointments made (Portuguese matters and visa applications) will be rescheduled in due course.

Cape Verde has registered an increase in new positive cases of covid-19 in recent days, with peaks since September, with an emphasis on 148 on Saturday, currently having 523 active cases, a total of 39,072 cases accumulated since the beginning of the pandemic, 38,172 recovered cases and 351 deaths.

In terms of vaccination, the country has about 84% of adults with the first dose, has already surpassed 70% with full vaccination and started on December 16th to vaccinate children between 12 and 17 years old, with a rate already around of 45%. 

Infarmed authorizes stem cell treatment in severe cases of covid

Therapy already used in European countries and in the USA revealed that these cells can reverse scenarios of hyper-inflammation and helped several seriously ill patients to recover.

The Infarmed authorized the company Crioestaminal to develop an experimental therapy to umbilical cord cells as the basis for the treatment of severe cases of infection by SARS-CoV-2, advanced Tuesday the Public newspaper.

The drug, which still does not have authorization to be marketed, can now be made available to hospitals that request it. The therapy is already being used in several countries, being the target of research since 2020.

As he explained to the same newspaper, Francisco Santos, director of cell therapies at Crioestaminal , concluded that these cells “were able to reverse the scenarios of hyper-inflammation and many patients recovered”. “There is already an extensive list of scientific publications about this and throughout 2020 mesenchymal cells ended up entering clinical trials in several countries in Europe and in the USA “, he added.

It should also be noted that one of the advantages of the treatment lies in the fact that there is no biological compatibility between the cells and the recipient patient.

Travel

TAP admits cancellations due to “peak casualties” due to covid-19

The Portuguese air carrier told DN that “some flights” had been cancelled due to a “peak of casualties”, but did not reveal how many. According to Lusa, there will have been more than a hundred.

TAP cancelled “some flights” due to “peak casualties” as a result of covid-19, not revealing how many. In response to a request for information from the DN, the company’s advisory reports: “TAP has been adjusting the operation to face a peak in crew casualties (mostly due to covid), which has already led to the cancellation of some flights, with passengers being accommodated on other flights of the company or partner companies”.

The Portuguese airline does not indicate how many flights were effectively cancelled. According to the accounts of the news agency Lusa, through the data available on the website of ANA Aeroportos Portugal, there will have been more than a hundred.

At Humberto Delgado Airport, in Lisbon, 23 flights were cancelled this Monday, 21 from TAP; Sunday, there were 20 cancellations, 19 from TAP; while on Saturday, 19 flights, 15 from TAP, had already been cancelled and, on Friday, 19 flights, 17 from the Portuguese carrier, were cancelled.

At Sá Carneiro Airport, in Porto, this Monday there are 13 cancelled flights; Sunday, four; Saturday 5th and Friday 7th, the vast majority of the Portuguese carrier.

At Faro Airport, only one flight did not take place and that was TAP.

Covid-19: Finland blocks entry for unvaccinated foreign travellers

Foreign travellers not vaccinated against covid-19 will not be able to enter Finland from today, even with a negative test, the government announced, to curb the wave of the Omicron variant.

Only foreign travellers with a negative covid-19 test and proof of complete vaccination or recovery from illness can enter the country, the Finnish Interior Ministry added at the end of an executive meeting.

A spokesman for the border guard quoted by French news agency France-Presse confirmed that foreign nationals will be denied entry unless they appear on a list of exceptions (Finland residents, essential workers, diplomats, etc.).

Portugal Situation Report Wednesday 22^nd December 2021

Introduction

Good morning- Yesterday evening the Prime Minister António Costa announced the main measures that will be in place to help contain the further spread of Covid-19, with the main focus being the Christmas and New Year periods.

He explained that the strategies adopted about a month ago are showing results. He added that the Government had decided to move forward with a new package of measures, among them the extension of free tests from four to six per person each month. The Government has decided to bring forward the special measures planned for January 2nd-9th. According to the new rules, this period will start at 00h00 on 25th December (namely midnight 24^th/25^th).

The prime minister announced that the containment period scheduled for January 2 to 9 will be brought forward to December 25, which in practice determines the early closure of clubs, bars, day care centers and ATL, and mandatory telecommuting. Tests will be needed for almost everything, except stores, but these are also reduced in capacity. On New Year’s Eve, gatherings are prohibited. Government has stated that they are expanding test capacity which will certainly be required to meet the heavy demand.

The official Communique of the Council of ministers was published overnight and as is normal we await the decree with full details. This will provide the information many of you are asking at present, and as soon as it is available we will produce an Informal English translation highlighting the main details.  This will need to be published before these changes are implemented, so this could be as early as today or tomorrow. COM here: https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/council-of-ministers-communique-21st-december-2021/

As with similar announcements in the past (nearly always made at dinner times) my thanks go to our volunteers Eliana Taveras and Fernanda Gonçalves for preparing this. Trust me it is not easy, and certainly I compliment Fernanda in all the work she undertakes in answering many of the questions that you have.

In that respect I would like to emphasise a point that when we say “more details will be available later”, there is little point in asking detailed questions as the answers are not there – all hopefully will be revealed very soon – thank you for your understanding.

Clearly as some of you have commented the restriction could have been a lot worse. For instance no travel restricts have been announced during Christmas nor New Year’s Eve. There will be some disappointment, and a loss of income to some businesses affected, but when we see the situation elsewhere in Europe I am thankful that I am here in Portugal. The Prime Minister has guaranteed that the companies will be supported through “the layoff and the Apoiar program”. In the first case, support is 100% of the salary of employees and employers with the business closed due to the measures.  If everyone follows the measures and limits gatherings during the festive season we should be much better placed in the New Year.

Some advice that will help reduce the risk of infection are whenever possible, ventilate the house and have the windows open. It is a cold night, but the ventilation of closed spaces is of the utmost importance to avoid the concentration of viruses and reduce the risk of contamination. It is also important to wear masks whenever possible, even indoors, during the Christmas dinner (except when eating or drinking) and advice from Government is for everyone to test themselves before gathering for the Christmas Eve meal or lunches. This is particularly important before visiting relatives, who themselves maybe vulnerable.

The Covid-19 Digital Certificate of the European Union (EU) is, as of yesterday is valid for 270 days for travel within the community and includes information on booster doses of vaccines, it was announced yesterday by Brussels. The statement includes “Today, the Commission adopted rules relating to the EU Digital COVID Certificate, establishing a binding acceptance period of 9 months (precisely 270 days) of vaccination certificates for the purposes of intra-EU travel”.

As far as we can see for this this extension is ONLY for travel within the EU.

As many of you have experience we are in for a week of bad weather (not unusual for this time of the year) so please take care especially when driving. We are posting Safe Driving information on our Facebook page to remind drivers accordingly. Please monitor the weather reports over the next days as more rain some heavy at times is expected.

Our team at Safe Communities wish you a very safe and Happy Christmas and New Year

Headlines

WHO says 2022 should be the one in which “the pandemic ends“

The year 2022 should be the year in which “the pandemic is put to an end”, stressed this Monday, December 20, the leader of the World Health Organization (WHO), calling for prudence at the festivities.

“We are all fed up with this pandemic. We all want to be with our families, but to better protect them and protect ourselves, in some cases, this means cancelling an event,” said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Speaking at a press conference at the UN in Geneva (Switzerland), the WHO official recommended that families and people who intend to be together during the end of the year to think twice: “a cancelled event is better than live less».

On the other hand, next year, “WHO is committed to doing everything in its power to end the pandemic,” he said.

As the fifth wave of the covid-19 pandemic hits many countries in force and the emergence of the Omicron variant puts the planet back in emergency, the leader of the WHO, now one of the most familiar faces in the fight against the coronavirus, declared: “2022 must be the year we end the pandemic”.

Again, he called for better access to vaccines in disadvantaged countries.

“If we want to end the pandemic next year, we must end inequality, ensuring that 70% of the population in each country is vaccinated by mid-year,” he said.

The director of WHO considered that countries that administer booster doses to adults or children in perfect health would do better to share these vaccines or convince unvaccinated people to adhere.

“We are faced with a very harsh reality, but we must be solidary,” he insisted.

Covid-19 DGS Situation reported on 21^st December 2021

Confirmed: 1.233.608 (+ 5754 / + 0.47 %)

Admitted: 904 (-39 /-4.14 %)

Admitted to ICU: 153 (+ 1 / + 0.66 %)

Deaths: 18.812 (+ 16 / + 0.09 %)

Recovered: 1.141.909 (+ 6551 / + 0.58 %)

Active cases: 72,887 (-813 / -1.1%)

Trends

Deaths marginally below last week’s daily average (17)

New cases above last week’s daily average (4402). Yesterday’s figure was well below

A moderate reduction in hospitalisation compared to yesterday and a marginal increase in ICU

On the same day in 2020 there were: 57 deaths, 3158 in hospital, and 502 in ICU, which shows the considerable importance in vaccinations in saving life, reducing serious illness and reducing the tremendous pressure on the health services. 

Health

Omicron already represents almost 50% of new infections in Portugal

The Omicron variant represented 46.9% of cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Portugal this Monday. This is the value of the estimated proportion for advanced Omicron in the most recent report on the situation of the genetic diversity of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in Portugal, released this Tuesday by the National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge (Insa).

 “Since December 6, there has been an exponential growth in the proportion of probable cases of the Ómicron variant, having reached an estimated proportion of 46.9% on December 20”, refers to the Insa report, which adds that data obtained since last Wednesday (December 15) – the day on which the growth trend was projected until the end of the year – “has a large overlap with the projection”. This means that there is a consolidation for the analysis that Ómicron will be dominant in the country during this week. The prevalence of the variant will thus exceed 50% in the week of Christmas this week.

At a press conference, the Minister of Health, Marta Temido, announced that this variant represented 20% of new SARS-CoV-2 infections in Portugal. It also announced that in the week of Christmas – this week – the prevalence of Ómicron should increase to 50% and that it would rise to 80% in the week of the end of the year.

The “sudden increase” of Ómicron’s community circulation is parallel to the scenario observed in other countries, such as Denmark and the United Kingdom, according to the report. 

Vaccination update

Lisbon, December 21, 2021 (Lusa) – More than 88,000 people were vaccinated in the last 24 hours against covid-19 (complete primary scheme and booster) and against influenza, says today’s vaccination report released by the General Directorate of Health (DGS).

In the last 24 hours, more than 68,064 people were vaccinated with the booster against covid-19, which makes a total of 2,393,088 booster vaccines against the new coronavirus so far.

Today’s data from the DGS further indicates that 8,657,229 people have completed primary vaccination against covid-19, and 2,323,632 have been vaccinated against the flu.

According to DGS data, 86% of people aged 80 and over have already received a booster dose of the covid-19 vaccine, 83% of people aged between 70 and 79, 45% of people aged between 60 and those aged 69, and 15% of people aged between 50 and 59 years.

Hotels and restaurants worried about cancellations for Christmas and New Years

The tourism sector in Portugal, which in the summer saw signs of recovery, is worried about cancellations for the next few days. They were counting on Christmas and New Year to have a little oxygen to withstand the first trimester, hoping that Easter 2022 was already normal. But, for the second year, the Christmas season and New Year will be lived all over Europe with renewed fears about the pandemic. If in 2020, vaccination was not a widespread reality, which raised concerns about the spread of the virus and generation of serious disease, in 2021 the emergence of a new variant, Ómicron, once again sounded the warning bells. Several governments decided to implement measures to try to control the pandemic, discouraging the gathering of people and mobility.

Cristina Siza Vieira, executive vice president of the Hotel Association of Portugal (AHP), recognizes to DN/Dinheiro Vivo that hotels in Portugal are feeling “a lot” of the effects of both the spread of Ómicron and the restrictions applied by the Portuguese government upon entry into the country. The effects are being felt “especially with foreign tourists. We were feeling a return of these tourists, especially in large urban centers, however the new measures are now in force, not only in Portugal, but throughout Europe, and in the world , plus the mandatory presentation of tests when entering and leaving Portugal and in various places, including hotels and restaurants, interrupted this principle of recovery”.

The operations of the hotel units have already been affected, confirming the person in charge that “there have already been cancellations, especially at Christmas dinners and lunches, whether by families or companies. Furthermore, demand for this period has also decreased and there has been a drop in reservations”.

The Portuguese Hotel, Catering and Similar Association (AHRESP) is also receiving the same reaction. Still listening to the members and, therefore, with no numbers yet to allow for a faithful portrait, Ana Jacinto, secretary general of AHRESP, assumes that “as soon as new health rules were announced on December 1, we immediately had reports of cancellations of group dinners and Christmas. “Trust” and “predictability” are crucial and whenever there are more restrictive rules,

Covid-19: Lisbon closes two homeless centers due to lack of conditions

Lisbon, December 21, 2021 (Lusa) – Two of the four homeless emergency shelters that opened during the pandemic in Lisbon will be closed, for lack of “dignified conditions”, announced today the mayor, Carlos Moedas.

“We had two centers without decent conditions that have to be deactivated”, said Carlos Moedas (PSD), who guaranteed that the people who were installed in these spaces are being “accompanied and forwarded”.

The mayor was speaking this afternoon at the Municipal Assembly of Lisbon and thus confirmed an information put forward by the deputy of People-Animals-Nature (PAN) Isabel Castro.

According to a source from the PAN parliamentary group to Lusa, the municipal emergency accommodation centers (CAEM) Pousada da Juventude, in Moscavide, and the Casa dos Direitos Sociais, in Marvila, are in the “closing phase”.

Carlos Moedas defended, in the same answer to the PAN deputy, that the homeless problem is “very serious” and that “Lisbon must change this strategy” of a response based on reception centers where more than 100 people gather in a same space.

For the new mayor of Lisbon, elected in September 2021, the city should adopt in the future a “more Nordic model” and have “smaller” solutions, in terms of spaces for people living on the streets.

Isabel Castro had stated, in her speech, that there is an increase in the number of homeless people in Lisbon and regretted that in the winter season, in a pandemic situation and when there are no more vacancies in the reception responses, the Lisbon City Council (CML) is closing two of the four emergency centers created in the city to support this population in the context of covid-19 

WHO lists 10th COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use : Nuvaxovid

The World Health Organization issued an emergency use listing (EUL) for NuvaxovidTM, following its assessment and approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) earlier today.

The new vaccine was developed by Novavax and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and is the originator product for the CovovaxTM vaccine that received WHO emergency use listing on 17 December.

Both vaccines are made using the same technologies. They require two doses and are stable at 2 to 8 °C refrigerated temperatures.

WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization has also issued policy recommendations for NuvaxovidTM / CovovaxTM.

The emergency use listing (EUL) procedure assesses the suitability of novel health products during public health emergencies. The objective is to make medicines, vaccines and diagnostics available as rapidly as possible to address the emergency while adhering to stringent criteria of safety, efficacy and quality. The assessment weighs the threat posed by the emergency as well as the benefit that would accrue from the use of the product against any potential risks.

The EUL pathway involves a rigorous assessment of late phase II and phase III clinical trial data, as well as substantial additional data on safety, efficacy, quality and a risk management plan. These data are reviewed by independent experts and WHO teams who consider the current body of evidence on the vaccine under consideration, the plans for monitoring its use, and plans for further studies.

As part of the EUL process, the company producing the vaccine must commit to continue to generate data to enable full licensure and WHO prequalification of the vaccine. The WHO prequalification process will assess additional clinical data generated from vaccine trials and deployment on a rolling basis to ensure the vaccine meets the necessary standards of quality, safety and efficacy for broader availability. 

Tourism unemployed grow 9% in November

Despite complaints about the lack of manpower, the shortage of workers is not reflected in last month’s IEFP data, which follow the usual trend of rising unemployment in this sector at the start of the autumn.

The number of unemployed people in the tourist sector with active enrollment in job centers increased by 9% in November compared to the previous month, interrupting a cycle of seven consecutive months of improvements in data from the Employment and Vocational Training Institute (IEFP) for accommodation workers, catering and other similar activities such as cafeterias.

Last month, unemployment registered in this sector rose by 2,723 individuals, to a total of 32,916 in the mainland regions (the breakdown by activities of origin of unemployment does not include data for the Azores or Madeira), according to statistics released yesterday.

Tourism was, in fact, one of the few sectors with an increase in unemployment in a month that marked a new minimum of active unemployment records, at 345 884, in continuous decline since March of this year. In addition to this sector, agriculture increased unemployment registrations by 1.4% (over 167) and the sector of electricity, gas, water, sanitation and waste by 1.1% (over 11).

The rise in tourism unemployed in November is in line with the behavior of previous years, with and without a pandemic, given the strong seasonality of employment in the sector. A year ago, for example, registered unemployment globally also fell, but accommodation and catering accounted for another 8% of unemployed. Agriculture, another highly seasonal activity, also accounted for over 1.1% of the unemployed.

Other news

CARRIS changes services until 7^th January and Lisbon Metro closes earlier on Christmas Eve

December 21, 2021 (Lusa) – CARRIS will make service changes between December 24th and January 7th and the Metropolitano de Lisboa will close earlier on Christmas night due to the reduction in demand, the companies reported today.

In a statement, Metropolitano de Lisboa said that it would close the service at 22:00 on 24th December and will resume circulation at 08:00 on 25 December.

“As in previous years, given the sharp reduction in demand usually seen on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Metropolitano de Lisboa will close its operating service at 22:00 on December 24th and will resume operating at 08: 00 on December 25th”, indicates the company.

CARRIS also said, in a statement, that it was going to make changes to the service between December 24th and January 7th to adapt the offer to the expected reduction in demand during the Christmas and New Year period.

Schedules and changes here:

https://www.carris.pt/descubra/noticias/horarios-natal-e-fim-de-ano/?fbclid=IwAR0H6aTdtO4Vos8L6lp7314JW1Wq-mq3EgSuxk-_J1wfyfdveQ0op4jle2I

 

 

Portugal Situation Report Wednesday 15^th December 2021

Good morning – This morning I would cover the topic of risk, the factors that influence risk and how to reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19, avoiding self-isolation, or worse, during the Christmas period.

In the lead up to Christmas we are undoubtedly planning for the occasion, with additional shopping and deciding what events, family gatherings and other events we will be attending. Compared to last year there are far fewer Covid-19 restrictions in place, so far greater freedom in deciding our activities. However some activities may present greater exposure to contracting Covid-19 than others. It is all to do with risk.

Nearly all the eligible population (except those 11 and under) have already been fully vaccinated and some have received the booster and flu vaccines. There are others, however, who still have no, or limited, protection against Covid-19, due to poor immune system for instance which is not capable to react to the vaccine stimulus.

There are activities and areas of the country that pose greater risk than others. We are learning to live with covid-19 among us. Even with some limitations, you can go to a restaurant, gym or cinema.

However, the emergence of new variants of the virus and current increases in incidence rates again pose a challenge and may force the cancellation of some of this seasons events, as has already happened in some municipalities. For now, the number of admissions, both in intensive care and in wards, remains far from the limit established by experts consulted by the Government and far below the same period last year. The Christmas and New Year periods will be decisive.

The desire for a gradual return to normality does not mean that the virus has disappeared from our lives. Every trip to the restaurant, supermarket, cinema or participation in a social event carries a risk, which varies depending on your health condition, whether you have already been vaccinated, where you live and, of course, how many people will be with you and how they behave.

If you undertake these activities, the above risk factors determine the level to which you may become exposed to contracting Covid-19 and the potential level of seriousness. A major factor is health and if you suffer from: hypertension, diabetes, asthma, kidney disease, heart disease, lung disease or cancer these are the types of conditions that according to DGS increase the risk; plus factors such as being overweight or if you smoke.

A low risk does not mean that you cannot suffer any harm from the disease, just as a high risk does not mean that you will suffer.

Keep in mind that, even if you are not at high individual risk, there is always the risk of infecting others who are more vulnerable and causing them harm (the extent and severity of which you cannot predict or foresee). Precaution in managing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection is a collective responsibility.

For example, if you are over 70 years of age, have various diseases and have not fully completed a Covid-19 vaccination and thinking of going to a gathering in a group with others, in a municipality with a high incidence rate, where people may not all be wearing masks all the time and social distancing is not possible, then the risk is likely to be very high.

However, if you are going shopping, in a municipality with a low incidence rate, are younger in age, no health conditions, fully vaccinated and will be wearing a mask all the time then, the risk in comparison is low.

These are just two examples, the purpose being to illustrate when considering what activities you wish to undertake in the lead up to, and over the festive season, to also consider the risk factors together with your potential exposure to others who maybe more vulnerable.

Please have Safe Day

Headlines

Covid-19: Over 50s will receive third dose of vaccine – Government

Lisbon, December 14, 2021 (Lusa) – The third dose of the vaccine against covid-19 will begin to be administered to people aged 50 and over, announced today the Assistant Secretary of State for Health.

“The update of the standard of DGS 002/2021 will be carried out during today, changing the eligibility range from 65 years old or over to 50 years old or more”, said António Lacerda Sales, on the side lines of the ceremony for the taking of possession of the first president of the Order of Physiotherapists, António Lopes.

Thus, he indicated, “people over 50 years old will also be boosted with the vaccine” against covid-19.

2021: Three waves of covid-19, three variants and mass vaccination of Population

Lisbon, December 14, 2021 (Lusa) – Three waves of infections, which put professionals and health services to the test, new variants of the more transmissible coronaviruses and the mass vaccination of the Portuguese marked the covid-19 pandemic in 2021 in Portugal.

Portugal is ending 2021 as it started: a wave of cases that has already led to more measures to contain the growth of infections and the threat of a new variant, despite doubts whether it causes more severe forms of covid-19 and whether its effectiveness is diminished of vaccines.

If in January 2021 the threat was the Alpha variant, associated with the United Kingdom, now the concern is with Omicron, detected in dozens of countries after being reported in southern Africa.

In between, Portugal faced the Delta variant, associated with India, considered 60% more transmissible than the original virus, and responsible for all infections in the country and which in 2021 gained ground to all others in Europe and the world.

But 2021 is also marked by the biggest wave since the beginning of the pandemic, in the first two months of the year, with Portugal surpassing, at the end of January, 300 daily deaths and 16 thousand cases.

With vaccination still in its infancy, the pressure on hospitals has been increasing since the beginning of the year, which most experts attributed to the easing of restrictions during the Christmas period, culminating in a peak of more than 6,600 inpatients and 850 patients in intensive care at the end of January.

Read more here: https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/2021-three-waves-of-covid-19-three-variants-and-mass-vaccination-of-the-population/

Covid-19 DGS Situation 14^th December 2021

Confirmed: 1.200.193 (+ 3591 / + 0.30 %)

Admitted: 953 (-41 /-4.12 %)

Admitted to ICU: 142 (-2 /-1.39 %)

Deaths: 18.687 (+ 14 / + 0.07 %)

Recovered: 1.115.749 (+ 6358 / + 0.57 %)

Active cases: 65,757 (-2781 /-4%)

Trends

Deaths (14) decreased compared to yesterday, and is slightly below the average of the last 30 days (14.4 deaths).

Welcome moderate decrease in the number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised

Also reduction of those in ICU

Active cases decrease considerably by 4% after several days of increases.

Very high level of recovered cases for a single day – over six thousand

Health

Vaccination of 10 – 11 year olds – about: “about 27 thousand” appointments have already been made

The self-scheduled vaccination for children was available late yesterday afternoon.

Until 1:30 pm on Tuesday, “about 27 thousand online requests” were made for the vaccination of children between 11 and 10 years old. An option that, it should be noted, was available at the end of the day yesterday on the Online Scheduling Portal for vaccination.

These appointments were set for the next weekend, December 18th and 19th, which will be exclusive to the vaccination of this age group.

Pfizer’s covid-19 drug reduces hospital admissions and deaths by 90%

Pfizer confirmed this Tuesday that its pill against covid-19 reduces hospitalizations and deaths in people at risk by about 90% when taken in the first days of symptoms appear.

The drug maker says, in a statement, that the conclusion about the drug’s effectiveness resulted from clinical trials involving more than 2,200 people, and supports what was announced in early November based on preliminary results.

According to Pfizer, no deaths were recorded among those who received the treatment.

Participants in clinical trials were unvaccinated and were at high risk of developing a severe case of covid-19.

Pfizer also announced that the antiviral treatment, which will be marketed under the name Paxlovid, should maintain effectiveness against the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes covid-19 disease.

“This underscores the potential of this (drug) candidate to save the lives of patients around the world,” said Albert Bourla, head of Pfizer, quoted in the statement.

“Concerning variants such as Omicron have exacerbated the need for affordable treatment options for those who contract the virus,” he added.

Antivirals work to decrease the ability of a virus to replicate, which also alleviates the disease.

These treatments represent a key complement to vaccines in protecting against covid-19, namely because they are very easy to administer.

69 cases of the Omicron variant in Portugal and possible community circulation

Portugal registers 69 cases of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, with the latest data revealing a “trend strongly indicative of the existence of community circulation”, said this Tuesday (December 14) the National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge (INSA).

“To date, a total of 69 cases of the Omicron variant have been identified by targeted search for mutations and/or viral genome sequencing,” says the INSA report on the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2, which causes covid disease. -19.

According to the institute, within the scope of real-time monitoring of the “failure” in the detection of the S gene, which allows the identification of the Omicron variant, carried out in collaboration with several laboratories, it was possible to gather data for the period from November 25th to 12thDecember.

“This analysis points to an increasing trend in the proportion of positive cases with S gene failure since December 6th, reaching a relative frequency of 9.5% by December 12th,” the report said.

According to INSA, this trend, particularly that observed in the last three days, is “strongly indicative of the existence of community circulation of the Omicron variant in this period, in strong parallel with the scenario observed in other countries” that are using the same approach for surveillance of this variant, the case of Denmark and the United Kingdom.

This new variant, classified as “worrying” by the World Health Organization (WHO), has been detected in southern Africa, but since the South African health authorities raised the alert on 24 November, infections have been reported in more than 60 countries from all continents, including Portugal.

Schools

Government has already updated the school calendar, affected by measures to combat the pandemic

The Government confirmed through a dispatch in Diário da República the school calendar announced by António Costa. The prime minister, when he informed the country that new restrictions would be imposed to contain the advance of covid-19, said that there would be changes to the Christmas and New Year holidays that would have repercussions in the remaining school year.

With the forced closure of schools in the first week of January — motivated by the prevention of contacts after the end-of-year festivities period — the Government had to make changes to the school calendar. These were confirmed through an order in the Diário da República, published this Monday.

According to the document, the Government considers that “it is still possible to accommodate the suspension of in-person teaching and non-teaching activities”, so “it is chosen to adapt the 2nd and 3rd academic periods to the said suspension” – not moving forward, thus, for distance learning.

This order changes the calendar for the functioning of educational and teaching activities in public establishments of pre-school education and basic and secondary education and the school calendar for private establishments of special education”, it reads.

The 1st period ends on December 17th and classes will only resume on January 10th. As a result of this increase in Christmas holidays, the Carnival holidays will be limited to just one day — March 1st — with the 2nd period running until April 8th.

The interruption between the 2nd and 3rd periods will be reduced to one week, between April 11th and April 18th. The end of the school year will be determined by the level of education and whether or not exams are taken:

9th, 11th and 12th grades end on June 7, 2022

5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 10th grades end on June 15, 2022

Pre-school education and 1st cycle of basic education ends June 30, 2022

Special education follows the same rules as regular education, but with one formal exception, as it can “ensure face-to-face teaching activities in the period between December 27, 2021 and January 7, 2022”, that is, to continue the classes, but only “at the request of the guardians” and “provided that the necessary safety conditions are guaranteed in accordance with the guidelines of the General Directorate of Health”.

Enforcement

Covid-19 GNR closes cafe in Viana do Castelo with around 150 people inside

The GNR closed a cafe in Santa Leocádia de Geraz do Lima, in Viana do Castelo, with about 150 people in the interior, in disregard for measures to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic, the GNR stated on Monday.

In a statement sent to the newsrooms, the Territorial Command of the GNR of Viana do Castelo, said that the operation was initiated following “a complaint of noise in the aforementioned establishment”.

At the site, the GNR military verified that there were about 150 people inside the cafe, which “worked outside the permitted hours, and where a party was also taking place with the use of an unlicensed dance space, in complete disrespect for the measures in force in the scope of the Covid-19 pandemic”.

According to the GNR, “all the interveners were identified in order to proceed with the issue of the respective infraction notices.

To those responsible for the cafe “for failure to comply with the duty to verify the digital certificate or covid-19 test, and to the 137 customers for failure to comply with the duty to present and hold a European Union (EU) digital certificate in the form of proof of test or recovery or laboratory test with negative result”.

The action, which was attended by 32 GNR soldiers, was reinforced by the territorial detachments of Arcos de Valdevez and Valença and the intervention detachment of Viana do Castelo.

Other news

UN validates record temperature of 38°C in June 2020 in the Arctic

A new “Climate Change Warning Sign”.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) today validated the record temperature of 38° Celsius in the Arctic, recorded in the Russian city of Verkhoyansk in Serbia on June 20, 2020, a new “warning sign on climate change” “.

“This new Arctic record is one of the observations reported to the WMO Extreme Weather Archive, a UN agency, which is sounding the alarm about the changes our climate has undergone,” noted WMO Secretary General Petteri Taalas, noting that in the same year Antarctica also registered a record 18.3°C.

Verkhoyansk lies about 115 kms north of the Arctic Circle and temperatures have been measured there since 1885.

This region of Eastern Siberia has a very dry continental climate, resulting in very cold winters and very hot summers.

“This survey highlights the rise in temperatures in a region that is important to the rest of the world in terms of climate”, so it is important to monitor it continuously, said WMO rapporteur on climate and climate extremes, Randall Cerveny.

WMO researchers are trying to “verify a temperature of 54.4°C recorded in 2020 and 2021 in the hottest place on Earth, Death Valley in California, and also validate a new European heat record of 48.8°C C established in Sicily this summer,” said Taalas.

The group of experts responsible for certifying these records examines the validity of the instruments used for measurement and their consistency with current weather.

 

Portugal Situation Report Wednesday 8^th December 2021

Introduction

Good morning – A reminder to everyone that there are a number of weather warnings in place for today. Of particular note are the orange level rough sea warnings with peak waves that could reach a maximum of 12 meters according to the IPMA. The National Maritime Authority has issued specific safety advice, in particular: advice against walks along the coastal areas close to the sea, “especially along the cliffs and cliff areas on the coastal fronts affected by the breaking waves”, and recommends the reinforcement of boat moorings. Please follow these warnings and advice, if it affects you.

These sorts of warnings, which also include snow warnings for six districts currently in place, are not unusual for this time of the year, but intensity can vary considerably. It is therefore important to monitor the daily weather warnings and general weather conditions. Details can be found on the IPMA website and the various precautions for heavy rain and snow can be found on our website here: https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/find-information/environment-and-weather/storms-and-flooding/

On Monday we published the DGS Covid-19 figures together with the weekly averages which our colleague John Cobby produces from the DGS figures. This week we compared the main figures with the same week in 2020. In terms of deaths, hospital admissions and those in ICU, the figures are over 70% lower than for the same period last year.

The daily average of new cases are just 13% lower than a year ago, but with the number of tests at present is three times higher – in fact at an all-time high. The number of tests this week, up to 5th December 2021, is around 683,000 compared to just 220,000 for the same week last year. Last Friday the INSA reported a positivity test rate of 3.9%, and for the same week last year just over 12%.

This shows the value of vaccinations one year on since Margaret Keenan in the UK became the first person in the world to be vaccinated on 8^th December 2020. In Portugal the first person it receive the vaccination was Doctor António Sarmento on 27^thDecember administered by  nurse Isabel Ribeiro

Portugal went from seventh to eighth lowest country in the European Union (EU) this week for new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection per million inhabitants in seven days, according to the website Our World in Data statistic.

This week the country rose from 286 new daily cases to 338 per million inhabitants, still far from the EU average, which rose from 576 to 595 new daily cases per million inhabitants.

With regard to daily deaths per million inhabitants, Portugal remains the eighth country in the EU with the fewest deaths attributed to covid-19, with an average of 1.69 in the last seven days, higher than the 1.35 registered in the week last.

On Monday the Algarve Regional Health Authority, Ana Cristina Guerreiro, Regional Health Delegate for the Algarve, outlined the current situation, which she considers “worrying”. The incidence rate is 761 cases for 14 days per 100,000 inhabitants, nearly double the national rate with Portimão, Lagoa, Monchique, Loulé and Faro the most affected municipalities. The main age group affected is the 30-39 age group, followed closely by children from zero to nine which in the last 15 days “has grown a lot”.

We are now seeing the cancellation of some Christmas events by municipalities such as in Portimão announced by the municipality yesterday. Without being unduly pessimistic we expect there will be more. Please be particularly careful at gatherings – wearing a facemask, social distancing and following good hygiene practices can reduce the risk considerably.

On a different topic, yesterday the decree-law extending for another year the transitional regime of recognition and exchange of driving licenses issued by the United Kingdom was published in the Diary of the Republic. This was first announced on 19^th November following the Council of Ministers meeting stating that they regime would be extended until 31^st November 2022. The decree-law published in Diário da República guarantees the recognition of driving licenses for British citizens residing in Portugal under the same terms as the titles issued by a Member State of the European Union. Details on the exchange process were published yesterday on Brits in Portugal Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BritsInPortugal

On the lead up to Christmas there will be various scams around and we will be covering these over the next two weeks on our Facebook site. Remember as far as shopping is concerned if an offer seems too good to be true it normally is.

Please have a Safe Day.

Headlines

Covid-19 vaccines are effective against Omicron, says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) today revealed that vaccines are effective against the new Omicron variant of covid-19, detected in South Africa, in protecting those infected from serious illness.

“No there is no reason to doubt” that current vaccines protect Omicron-infected patients against severe forms of covid-19, said WHO Public Health Emergency Response Officer Michael Ryan today in an interview with France-Presse.

We have very effective vaccines that have proved potent against all strains so far, in terms of disease severity and hospitalization, and there’s no reason to believe that’s not the case” with Omicron, said Michael Ryan, noting that he’s in the studies started on a variant detected only on 24 November and which has since been registered in around 40 countries.

 

Covid-19 Statistics from yesterday

Confirmed: 1.172.420 (+ 3417 / + 0.29 %)

Admitted: 936 (-12 /-1.27 %)

Admitted to ICU: 133 (-2 /-1.48 %)

Deaths: 18.572 (+ 21 / + 0.11 %)

Recovered: 1.093.264 (+ 4969 / + 0.46 %)

Active cases: 60,584 (-1573 /-2.53%)

Trends

The number of new cases back over 3 thousand and just above last week’s daily average.

A large number of recoveries – nearly 5 thousand in one day

A welcome decrease in both those in hospital as well as in ICUA welcome decrease in active cases

Overall the figures are fluctuating a great deal on a daily basis

As mentioned yesterday testing levels at present are very high

 

Health

European Medicines Agency approves drug to treat severe cases of covid-19

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved this Monday the drug RoActemra, already used in inflammatory diseases, to treat severe cases of covid-19 in adults.

“The EMA Committee for Human Medicines (CHMP) has recommended extending the indication of RoActemra (tocilizumab) to include the treatment of adults with covid-19 who are receiving systemic corticosteroid treatment and need supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation,” said the European regulator in a statement.

Following this EMA recommendation, it is now up to the European Commission to issue the final decision on the use of this drug for covid-19 in Member States.

Marketed by Roche Registration GmbH, RoActemra is already approved in the European Union for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

According to the European regulator, the CHMP evaluated data from a main study involving 4,116 adults hospitalized with severe covid-19 who required oxygen or mechanical ventilation and with elevated levels of C-reactive protein in the blood (indicating inflammation).

The study data showed that treatment with RoActemra, an immunomodulator that alters the activity of the immune system and whose active substance is the monoclonal antibody tocilizumab, reduced the risk of death, as well as the length of hospital stay of patients infected with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

Covid-19: University of Coimbra assesses emotional reactions of health professionals

Coimbra, 07 Dec 2021 – A team of researchers from the University of Coimbra is participating in an international study that aims to better understand the emotional experiences of health professionals who are or have been treating patients with Covid-19.

In order to reach as many health professionals as possible in these conditions in Portugal, the team of researchers from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Coimbra (FPCEUC) is looking for volunteers who wish to participate in the research.

According to the coordinator of this team, Marcela Matos, there is growing evidence that health professionals at the front line in the fight against covid-19 have experienced adverse emotional reactions, which may be associated with an increase in the levels of anxiety symptoms, depression, trauma and ‘burnout’.

“This study aims to expand understanding of the multifaceted nature of the emotional experience of frontline health professionals in caring for covid-19 patients,” he explained.

The researcher at the Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive-Behavioural Intervention (CINEICC) at FPCEUC added that these professionals have been faced with “prolonged physical and emotional exhaustion and intense sadness, associated with the specificity of this tragic and unprecedented situation that is the pandemic of covid-19, which thus reveals itself as a unique experience, which differs from other forms of personal trauma”.

In his opinion, understanding the emotional experiences of these health professionals “will help to design specific strategies to promote mental health and well-being, in order to try to help them deal with the situation and alleviate some of the difficulties experienced”

Vaccines for children arrive in Portugal on December 13, but the decision of the Technical Commission on Vaccination is still pending

The first 300,000 anti-covid-19 vaccines for children aged 5 to 11, from the BioNTech/Pfizer pharmaceutical consortium, arrive in Portugal on December 13, today announced the Assistant Secretary of State for Health.

“About 300,000 vaccines will arrive on December 13th and then, during the month of January, another 400,000 vaccines will arrive, which, for this population, will be enough”, said António Lacerda Sales in Constância (Santarém), noting that “”is a different vaccination because it is per single dose, 10 micrograms, about a third of the dose of an adult”.

A total of 700,000 vaccines ensure the national needs “to vaccinate all children from 5 to 11 years old”, in an inoculation process that is in the preparation stage and awaits the approval of the Technical Vaccination Commission, noted the government official, on the side lines the opening ceremony of the Montalvo health extension, in the municipality of Constância.

“We are currently awaiting the decision of the Technical Vaccination Commission, which we hope will be a favorable decision, for the vaccination of children up to 11 years of age. What is incumbent on us, as Government, is to have all the planning and all the logistics (…) to be prepared to vaccinate and that is what we are doing”.

Lacerda Sales also highlighted the numbers related to vaccination against covid-19 in Portugal, having underlined the administration of more than 1.5 million booster doses and more than two million of the flu vaccine so far, in a country where “85% of the population has the complete vaccination schedule”. 

Other News

Marcelo enacts a government diploma creating the National Anti-Corruption Mechanism

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa gave the green light to the diploma that establishes the general regime for the prevention of corruption and creates the National Anti-Corruption Mechanism, hoping that it will be an “independent, impartial and effective entity”

The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, promulgated this Monday the Government diploma that establishes the general regime for the prevention of corruption and creates the National Anti-Corruption Mechanism, hoping that it will be an “independent, impartial and effective entity”.

The announcement is made on the website of the Presidency of the Republic on the Internet, where Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa says he hopes that the National Anti-Corruption Mechanism “constitutes a truly independent, impartial and effective entity, which does not reduce the scope of intervention of the Court of Auditors and other components authorities of justice”.

In June, the Government approved the decree-law creating the National Anti-Corruption Mechanism, “an independent administrative entity, with powers of initiative, control and sanction and with attributions in terms of collecting and processing information and organizing programs of activities between entities public and private entities in the fight against corruption”, according to the Ministry of Justice website.

The same decree-law establishes the general regime for the prevention of corruption, “which obliges private companies, public companies and services integrated in the direct and indirect administration of the State, with 50 or more workers, to adopt risk prevention programs, codes of conduct, reporting channels and appropriate training programs to prevent corruption and related offences” 

Campaign “Zero Alcohol level at the steering wheel”

The Road Safety Campaign “Zero alcohol level at the wheel” included in the 2021 National Plan will take place from December 7th to 13th and aims to alert drivers to the risks of driving under the influence of alcohol.

In Portugal it is prohibited to drive with:

– a blood alcohol level equal to or greater than 0.5 g/l – drivers with a valid driving license for more than 3 years

– a blood alcohol level equal to or greater than 0.2 g/l – new drivers (during the first 3 years of validity of the driving license), drivers of an emergency or urgent service vehicle, of public transport, of children’s transport vehicles, of taxis, of buses or trucks or of transport of dangerous goods and young people (16 years of age).

We remind you that driving under the influence of alcohol is a risk to your safety and that of others:

– With a blood alcohol rate of 0.5 g/l, the risk of suffering a serious or fatal accident doubles;

– Accidents resulting from driving under the influence of alcohol are particularly serious

Reinforcement of Civil Protection Resources for Serra da Estrella

Seia, Guarda, 06 Dec 2021 (Lusa) – The National Civil Protection Authority announced today a reinforcement of around 30% of the workforce in the Serra da Estrela region for the festive seasons to come.

“In this festive season, we have increased our staff by about 30% to provide greater support” to tourists in Serra da Estrela, said the commander of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC).

André Fernandes specified to journalists, on the day the Serra da Estrela National Operations Plan was presented, which started today, the reinforcement that will go “until Easter” and which has “a greater capacity for mobilization”.

“There are around 80 vehicles that are prepared for prevention in the Serra [da Estrela], with 4×4 capacity, and around 40 are operating in this joint device integrated by different entities”, said the commander.

The device includes elements from the fire brigades in the Serra da Estrela region, from the municipal services of the Municipal Councils of Seia, Gouveia, Covilhã and Manteigas, as well as the special civil protection force and the special aid unit of the GNR.

Units that also integrate elements of the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM), the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) and the Infrastructure of Portugal (IP).

“This is what we want, an integrated and coordinated device and, for that, we have not only a dedicated device during the week and then during periods, whether during festive seasons, holidays and weekends, or eventually when there is a larger influx of tourists to the mountains”, he added.

André Fernandes added that, for this purpose, it has “two permanent bases of the Special Civil Protection forces that guarantee this effort dedicated to the mountains”, in Valezim (Seia) and Unhais da Serra (Covilhã).

“There are 40 operational that, depending on the periods, whether they are daytime, night-time, or if there is a need for reinforcement, they are in a state of readiness and move forward if that is the need”, he stressed.

Portugal has the best gender diversity index in the technology sector in Europe, according to a study

According to the Atomico study, women and ethnic minorities experience greater difficulty in attracting investment, compared to white men. Portugal has the lowest proportion of all-male teams that received funding this year (75%)

Portugal has the best gender diversity index in the technology sector in Europe, “with the lowest proportion of all-male teams that received funding” in 2021, according to a study released by Atomico on Tuesday.

In a note that gives an account of the main conclusions of the study, the venture capital fund said that “European technologies are becoming world powers and Portugal is following the growth trend”, with two unicorns (companies valued at more than a thousand million dollars), out of a total of 321 in Europe.

“Portugal stands out as the European country with the best index of gender diversity in the technology sector, with the lowest proportion of all-male teams that received funding this year (75%)”, according to the same statement.

Still with regard to funding, “Portugal stands out with 54% of respondents considering funding as a special challenge for European technology in the next 12 months”, compared to 20% of Italians and 29% of Spaniards who “agree fundraising is still a challenge,” according to the statement.

“Europe is on the verge of reaching a new record of annual investment in the technology industry, with a value of 88 billion euros” in 2021, indicated Atomico, in the study “State of European Technology 2021”.

The report provides “an in-depth analysis of the technology industry landscape in 45 countries across Europe”, highlighting some key trends and providing a diagnosis.