EU leaders scramble to overcome €1.8 trillion rescue package ‘blackmail’ // Government weighs new way to decide restrictions
Portuguese news in English on November 18, 2020.
By the numbers
There’s not too much I can point to from today and yesterday’s figures that is out of the ordinary. Hospital admissions are down slightly from the way they seemed to have been tracking but that figure has been varying a lot from day to day so it’s hard to read too much into it. Apart from that, both case numbers and deaths continue to gradually increase, generally getting worse as the week goes on. Easily more than half of new cases are being detected in the North.
Source: DGS
EU leaders scramble to overcome €1.8 trillion rescue package ‘blackmail’
Europe’s leaders don’t have a plan B to overcome Hungary and Poland’s blockage of the “historic” €1.8 trillion rescue package designed to help members recover from the pandemic, Público reports. The two illiberal eastern European governments blocked the package’s approval on Monday, objecting to attempts to link funding to upholding democratic norms such as an independent court system. You can read more about the veto at The Guardian, in English. The move puts the rescue package, which includes billions for Portugal, and the 2021-2027 EU budget at risk. The bloc’s General Affairs Council heard from representatives about their “frustration” and “disappointment” over the duo’s “blackmail”. German Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth said there was no alternative to the package. “We must now make sure that the funds reach those who need them as quickly as possible. Our citizens, in all member states, count on our support. There are no excuses for further delays,” he said. Portugal is among 12 countries Brussels has warned to investigate the severity of possible macroeconomic imbalances, Diário de Notícias reports. While Portugal should be able to keep servicing its considerable debt, it faces challenges from low investment and productivity, along with the impact of the coronavirus, the report finds.
Government weighs new way to decide restrictions
The government is considering a new three-level scale to measure the severity of coronavirus risk and impose restrictions across the country, Lusa reports. Greens leader José Luís Ferreira said President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa had communicated the plan to him when they met on Tuesday. If introduced, the high-risk councils currently subject to a state of emergency due to a two-week infection rate of more than 240 cases per 100,000 would be split into three groups. According to the Greens MP, only those municipalities with more than 960 cases per 100,000 would be subject to the 1pm weekend curfew. Less strict restrictions would affect councils with between 480 and 960 cases and those between 240 and 480, with no changes for those under 240. The president has been hearing from the various parties today and yesterday ahead of Friday’s almost certain renewal of the state of emergency, Público reports. The Greens are among several minor parties who don’t want it renewed. None of this is certain so I’ll update you on Friday with the changes.
Vaccine distribution prep under way, Minister says
The Portuguese government is making preparations to be able to distribute covid-19 vaccines as early as January if they are approved and available, Diário de Notícias reports. Health Minister Marta Temido’s declaration came on the same day drug company Pfizer released further data from its vaccine trial, which it said showed an improved 95% efficacy and had passed safety checks. As PA Media reports in English, of 170 trial participants (out of a total of 43,500) to develop covid-19, only eight had been vaccinated, with a good immune response “consistent across age, gender, race and ethnicity demographics”. You can read more about the differences between the two leading vaccine candidates in my Monday newsletter or this Reuters explainer, which has much more detail.
In Portugal, the first people eligible to be vaccinated will be professionals in health and essential services — such as security forces — along with older people (the specific age is yet to be defined) and those with comorbidities. Ms Temido said the strategy involved identifying those most vulnerable, logistics, centralising the information register and communicating with the population. The Order of Pharmacists had earlier called the government irresponsible for talking up potential vaccines without any strategy to distribute them.
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In brief
More Portuguese are dying at home because of the pandemic. National Statistics Institute data showed 8686 more Portuguese died from March 1 to November 1 this year than the five-year average for the same period (77,249). An extra 5817 died outside of hospital, an increase one expert blamed on sick or injured people not seeking medical help. (Diário de Notícias)
National Health Service spent €54 million on covid-19 tests carried out by private laboratories. (Público)
First confirmed case of covid-19 reinfection in Portugal. The 48-year-old woman recovered from her first bout in July, with multiple negative tests, before testing positive again in October. Reinfection is believed to be rare. (Público)
"Don't go to the gym, don't arrange dinner parties. Cancel": Sweden increases covid-19 restrictions (Público)
Cost of not fighting antibiotic resistance will be higher than that of the pandemic. It’s a massive problem caused in large part by oversubscription. (Lusa)
On a lighter note
This seems like a pretty smart way to boost local retailers and restaurants, and a good deal for anyone heading to Tarouca in the near future. The council of the town — about an hour and a half’s drive from Porto, in the district of Viseu — will give €25 restaurant vouchers for every €100 spent in the town’s traditional shops between November 21 and December 31. The vouchers are valid until March 31. Mayor José Damião Melo hopes the promotion will be a lifeline for cafes, restaurants and small shop owners while deterring trips to big shopping centres. Receipts can be swapped for vouchers at the Tarouca Interactive Tourism Shop (Loja Interactiva de Turismo de Tarouca). The article says citizens but I think the deal is probably available for everyone.
Please keep sharing on Facebook, in real life or anywhere else you see people a bit confused by the latest news.
Hi dear Jorge,
Thanks for all information you give us we are very happy.
I have trying too buy you a tostada a couple of times and also my husband but unfortunately it says that our cards doesn’t work so we just want you too now that and i can image more people have the same problem.