Curfew hits 80% of the population // Vaccines save lives // Nightclubs might be back soon
Portuguese news in English on Friday, July 23, 2021
By the numbers
Cases are still increasing but not as quickly, and we’re seeing almost as many new cases in the north as in Lisbon and the Tejo Valley in the past week. The last three days have been the three worst we’ve seen for deaths since March but even the sixteen deaths yesterday and the day before are much lower than what we saw the last time cases were this high. Interestingly, the number of people in hospital has been roughly stable for the past five days (+/-12) and the number of people in ICU (+/-7) has been for the past nine days.
Curfew hits 80% of the population
Four out of every five people in Portugal are now subject to curfew as the number of councils considered at-risk continues to grow, Público reports. There are another 11 councils considered high risk and another and another 15 considered very high risk, compared to last week, bringing the number of municipalities affected by extra restrictions to 116, or about 80% of the population. I’m going to assume most of you are now in a very-high risk council (risco muito elevado) or high-risk council (risco elevado) but you should check the full list here. You can see the rules in effect at each risk level in my previous newsletter.
Vaccine roundup: Janssen delays and lives saved
It’s a bit of a mixed bag of vaccine news this week. The Casa Aberta vaccine model that allows SNS users to just show up to their local centre without an appointment has been extended to everyone 35 and over. But the planned opening of the online booking portal to those 20 and over has been delayed and now isn’t expected until next week, Público reports. On a more positive note, researchers at the University of Porto’s Public health Institute have crunched the numbers to estimate vaccinations have already saved about 700 lives since the start of May, Público reports. They essentially used pre-vaccine case rates and death rates to calculate an “expected” number of deaths to compare to the actual figures. Some people have started getting the single-shot Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine in Portugal but Lusa reports that’s likely to slow down as we’ll be getting 200,000 doses instead of 600,000 in August. Authorities are hoping to have 70% of the population vaccinated by September 5-12. That number is currently at almost 49%. While the authorities are yet to sign off on vaccinating teenageers, Prime Minister António Costa has already said he wants 570,000 12-17-year-olds vaccinated by September 19, Público reports
Bars and nightclubs might be back soon
Significant changes to restrictions are expected next week when experts meet to discuss what the pandemic looks like with more than half the country vaccinated and a slowing virus spread, Público reports. The changes are being raised as the country continues in the “red zone”. But it’s a red zone “less dense” and with some regions, including Lisbon and the Tejo Valley, having likely passed the peak in cases.
After more than a year of waiting, there may even be good news for bars and nightclubs, with Minister for the Presidency Mariana Vieira da Silva broaching the possibility of the venues reopening to anyone with an EU Digital COVID Certificate, Lusa reports. Ms Vieira da Silva said the government had always signaled there would be a time when vaccination rates would prompt a change in policy, and that time was approaching. But she stressed leaders would listen to the experts on Tuesday before making any decisions.
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In brief
Three unions warn of airport strikes on July 30. Strikes on the weekend caused the cancellation of 650 flights, as unions pushed for money owed to workers by airport ground services operator Groundforce. (Público)
Casinos in at-risk councils can open from Saturday. Clients have to an EU Digital COVID Certificate or negative test. (Diário de Notícias)
Bragança is the first Portuguese city with decent access to high-speed rail. Only because a new station opened just across the border in Spain, linking Sanabria to Madrid in two hours.
Portuguese surfer out of the Olympics after catching COVID-19. Frederico “Kikas” Morais never even made it to Japan. (Público)
On a lighter note
Sunset, Friday, castle. What more could you want? From 7pm on Fridays in July and August, Lisbon’s Castelo de São Jorge is hosting Pôr do Sol no Castelo, a free event featuring Portuguese musicians playing jazz, world music, funk, soul and pop. Following the event’s debut last week, today’s edition features Rogério Charraz and a Banda do Coreto, Time Out reports. Entry is free but subject to space restrictions and there’s a limit of two tickets per person.
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