Covid-19 outbreak highlights complaints of slavery, human trafficking, worker exploitation // Portugal testing ‘covid passports’ this month
Portuguese news in English on Sunday, May 9, 2021.
By the numbers
Things are still looking pretty good. Case numbers (on a two-week average) haven’t been this low since September and you have to go all the way back to the start of the pandemic for a fortnight with fewer deaths. That’s the lowest death rate in the European Union and the second lowest for cases per population, according to European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control figures.
Covid-19 outbreak highlights complaints of slavery, human trafficking, worker exploitation
The COVID-19 outbreak in the Alentejo municipality of Odemira has brought a serious migrant worker exploitation problem back to the fore. While most of the rest of the country slowly reopens, a sanitary cordon around São Teotónio e Longueira-Almograve remains until at least Thursday, Diário de Notícias reports. Controlling the pandemic there has been made particularly difficult thanks to the awful conditions many poorly paid migrant workers, often in the agriculture sector, are living in. Investigators from various agencies have received multiple complaints of human trafficking and slavery and are investigating almost a dozen cases of aiding illegal immigration, Público reports. Prime Minister António Costa described unacceptable living conditions, “hyper overcrowding” and a “blatant violation of human rights” in some parts. The government’s requisition of a nearby resort to house infected or at-risk workers has also turned into a bit of a mess. The Supreme Administrative Court on Friday granted an early win to the owners fighting the requisition but did not order the workers to leave, Diário de Notícias reported. The Labour Authority last year detected 123 infractions in Odemira during an inspection of 108 businesses with 6300 workers. There’s a good report in English from Reuters here.
Portugal testing ‘covid passports’ this month
Europe’s much-talked-about “Covid passports” — officially digital green passes — are set to debut in June, with tests in Portugal at the end of this month, Diário de Notícias reports. The passes are basically an app designed to securely store all the details relevant to allowing safe travel in a pandemic: vaccination status, recent negative covid-19 test and information on whether you’ve recently recovered from the disease. According to DN, hospitals, testing centres, health authorities and, in some countries, even pharmacies, will be able to issue the certificates. As well as travel, concerts (remember those?) are one of the main theoretical uses for the passes. This Reuters analysis digs into all the challenges the scheme faces, from a very fast rollout and the need for quick cooperation among 27 countries to ethical and security concerns, not to mention how to include non-EU tourists in the scheme.
Vaccine patents and jabs for some in their 50s
The European Union is under pressure to address growing calls to suspend patents on covid-19 vaccines to help fix striking disparities in the global rollout, Público reports. India, South Africa and even the World Health Organisation have been calling for the move to allow developing countries to more quickly produce their own vaccines without expensive and complicated deals with the companies that designed the jabs. But it was the United States’ surprise support for the waiver that really put the proposal on the agenda. We think the rollout in Europe has been slow but more than 10% of people are fully vaccinated now in Portugal and more than a quarter have had at least one dose. In India, that figure (at least one dose) is less than 10 per cent, with a bit under 5% for Asia as a whole and just 1% in Africa, this explainer from The Conversation points out, in English. Opponents argue a patent waiver would create a disincentive for companies to pour money into designing, developing and testing the life-saving vaccines. Speaking in Porto yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron said the US and UK should start exporting vaccine doses around the world instead, The Guardian reported, in English. In more local news, people in their 50s are already being vaccinated in some parts of Portugal and in the coming week, everyone over 50 should be able to sign up using the online portal for vaccination, Público reports.
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In brief
Government again legalises foreigners with pending immigration processes. Anyone waiting on SEF since before April 31 this year should be able to enrol in the health system and enjoy other benefits by showing proof of their pending immigration process. (Notícias ao Minuto)
Lisbon's biggest night of the year cancelled again. There will be no parades or mass weddings (yes that’s a thing) to celebrate Santo António this June and the chances of local arraias (Santos festivities) being allowed are looking pretty slim. (Diário de Notícias)
Changes to sport as beach rules stay mostly the same. The traffic-light system for beach access and mask-wearing at cafes will remain but some changes are due for beach sports. Presumably, they’ll be allowed in greater numbers than last year but there’s no detail in the article. (Público)
Portugal one of just 12 countries on Britain’s travel green list. Returning from Portugal to Britain won’t require quarantine from May 17. (The Guardian, in English)
Judicial court calls for far-right MP's parliamentary immunity to be lifted to prosecute him for dinner party. André Ventura allegedly hosted a dinner-rally for 170 people during the lockdown in January, potentially committing the crime of disobedience, although there were some exceptions for political events leading up to the presidential election.
Spain curfew lifts: Hundreds party as coronavirus restrictions ease (CNN, in English)
On a lighter note
She’s been dubbed the mackerel ambassador and with good reason. Professor Patrícia Borges has spent most of the last decade on a quest to highlight the charms of some of Portugal’s cheapest fish, the cavala (mackerel) and carapau (horse mackerel). Focusing mostly in Peniche to begin with, she’s been working directly with restaurants to get these super-abundant species into prime menu positions, according to Público. It’s all part of the growing push to eat fish more sustainably. There’s now an official program, Smart Fish, which, because it is Portugal, comes with a special seal guaranteeing certain cavala and carapau dishes will always be available (fish supplies allowing). Professor Borges is hoping the program can expand to the rest of the country and even further.
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