Experts call for restrictions to control pandemic // Vaccines saved 2300 lives, 200,000 infection
Portuguese news in English on Sunday, November 21, 2021.
By the numbers
The number of new cases is starting to grow quite rapidly now. The average number of daily cases is already more than double what it was at the start of the month and seemingly showing no signs of tapering off just yet. The extra cases are also having an effect on hospitalisations and deaths. Although nothing like at this stage last year, about eight people are dying a day, double what we saw at the start of the month. There are almost 600 Covid-19 patients in hospital — up from 360 on November 1 — 89 of whom are in intensive care, up from 60. On this day last year there were 3025 Covid-19 patients in hospital, with 485 in ICU.
Experts call for restrictions to control pandemic
Experts advising the government have called for some greater restrictions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus before the Christmas period risks an exponential growth in case numbers, Público reports. Some of the measures being proposed include booster shots, testing on entry to places such as nursing homes, nightclubs, bars and weddings — even for the vaccinated — and the classics: masks and social distancing. Researchers who’ve been advising the government on control of the pandemic issued a reminder that vaccinated people could still get sick and pass on the virus. Apart from the testing-vaccine combo in high-risk areas, they want to speed up the booster shot process and return to some of the policies we’ve seen in the past. That could include a greater emphasis on working from home where possible and more mask-wearing, although no changes have been introduced or even announced yet.
Vaccines saved 2300 lives, 200,000 infections
According to experts meeting at the national medications authority for the first time in two months, vaccines have prevented 2300 deaths and 200,000 new cases since May 2 Público reports. Vaccination is still top of mind. In terms of new cases, the most-affected age group is children under nine, who are too young to be vaccinated, and infections have dropped in people over 80, many of whom have had booster shots. Epidemiologist Henrique Barros said the current impact on children showed how important it was to start vaccinating them as soon as the vaccines were proven to be safe for those under 12. Those over 60 continue to make up the majority of Covid-19 patients in hospital, Público reports. According to Ausenda Machado from Nova University, real-world figures showed vaccination was 80% effective against hospitalisation — dropping to 70% after five months — and more than 50% effective against infection itself.
Hospital system facing ‘controlled’ pressure
Despite the increase in patients, the pressure on the hospital system is “controlled”, Público reports. There are actually almost three times more people with respiratory illnesses reporting to hospital emergency rooms than this time last year, due to an early flu season this year compared to a virtually non-existent one last year, Público reports. But in terms of Covid-19 patients, it’s roughly one-sixth.
On a European level, things are much worse, leading the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to classify the epidemiological situation in 13 countries as highly concerning, Lusa reports. The agency is classing Portugal, France and Cyprus as “moderately concerning”, with only Italy, Malta, Spain and Sweden more or less in the clear. ECDC representative Ole Heur said even countries with a really high vaccination rate could expect a “manageable pressure” on hospital systems and consider increasing some restrictions, Lusa reported. He said the flu vaccine — particularly for more vulnerable people — was “essential to mitigate impact” on hospitals amid the Covid-19 resurgence, Lusa reported.
The latest on vaccination
The ECDC has voiced its support for measures targeting non-vaccinated people and rejected the need for travel restrictions unless they were introduced quickly and uniformly to prevent the spread of a new and more dangerous variant, Diário de Notícias reports.
The online portal to book a Covid-19 booster shot and the flu is now open to those aged 65 and up who were vaccinated more than six months ago. Two constitutional experts told Público that Madeira’s decision to block the non-vaccinated from venues such as restaurants, cinemas and gyms was unconstitutional.
If you find this newsletter useful, please help out if you can.
Portugal shuts its last coal power station
Portugal has stopped making electricity from coal, Público reports. The country’s last coal power plant shut on yesterday, a few days earlier than expected, due to a lack of coal. Environmental organisation Zero called it a “historic day” and Prime Minister António Costa said it was a new stage for the country, which will now depend on renewables and gas for its power. Zero said the powerplant, Portugal’s second most polluting until the larger one in Sines shut in January, had been responsible for roughly 4% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions per year until 2019. But it’s not all good news, with 150 workers out of a job and Portugal continuing to import some energy from countries such as Spain, France and Germany, which still burn coal. It’s unclear what will happen to the plant itself now.
In brief
Rapid antigen tests are free at pharmacies again. The offer, limited to four tests a month, has been brought back due to the significant increase in Covid-19 cases. (Público)
Family of roadworker killed by government minister’s car receive “survival pension” of €246 a month. An ongoing investigation into the crash, which happened while Eduardo Cabrito was in the car but not driving, would have to find the driver at fault for them to receive proper compensation. (Público)
Air pollution linked to 5710 premature deaths in Portugal in 2019. The European Environment Agency says fine particles are still killing more than 300,000 a year across Europe. (Público)
New car deliveries delayed up to a year, used car prices skyrocket. The delays in new car shipments, caused by the global computer chip shortage, has forced secondhand car prices up 15-20% (Público)
On a lighter note
Calling it “sky to table” farming, a Portuguese start-up is hoping to turn Lisbon’s empty spaces into rotating vertical gardens to feed locals, Público reports. The project, called Upfarming is designed to combat problems with traditional mass agriculture and the way the population is becoming ever more concentrated in cities. Essentially, the company builds six-metre towers with shelves that rotate to make sure all the plants get sunlight. The key advantage, apart from cutting down on transport costs and emissions, is space. Operations director Bruno Lacey, who’s English, said the towers could fit 90 plants per square metre, triple the most intensive hydroponic setups and 10 times more than horizontal farming. The company’s first tower is up and running at the Museu de Lisboa, Palácio Pimenta, in Campo Grande.
Please keep sharing on Facebook, in real life or anywhere else you see people a bit confused by the latest news.