Former PM to stand trial but corruption charges dropped // AstraZeneca vaccine not recommended for under-60s
Portuguese news in English on Sunday, April 11, 2021.
By the numbers
You’ll see from the chart below that after weeks of falling, the number of new cases is ticking up ever so slightly, since about April 5 in the case of the 14-day average. Fortunately the number of deaths is still dropping and hospitalisations are way below the danger zone. In worse news, the South African variant appears to be spreading throughout the country, up from 0.1% of cases in February to 2.5% of cases now, Público reports. As well as being more contagious, there are concerns that the variant is more resistant to vaccines. The British variant (also more contagious, but well controlled by vaccines) now makes up 82.9% of cases in Portugal.
REOPENING PLAN: Remind yourself of the key dates and restrictions
Former PM to stand trial but corruption charges dropped
Former Portuguese prime minister José Sócrates will stand trial on charges stemming from the country’s most high-profile corruption investigation but does not have to answer to the most serious accusations, Reuters reports, in English. In a decision that captivated the nation on Friday, Judge Ivo Rosa of Portugal’s criminal court for preliminary hearings dismissed the majority of the 31 charges levied against the 63-year-old, including passive corruption while in office, tax fraud and financial crimes. More than six years after his arrest, the Socialist now faces three counts of laundering roughly €1.7 million and three of falsifying documents. Judge Rosa was scathing in his assessment of the Operation Marquês case, saying prosecutors’ arguments were “based on speculation and fantasy”. Público reports that of the 28 people and companies accused of 190 crimes, only five — including businessman Carlos Santos Silva and former Banco Espirito Santo head Ricardo Salgado — will answer to 17 charges. All three have denied wrongdoing and both defendants and prosecutors are set to appeal the decision.
AstraZeneca vaccine not recommended for under-60s
There’s been one sizeable change to the vaccination plan this week, with more possibly on the way. Portugal has followed in the footsteps of many other European nations by recommending the AstraZeneca vaccine be used only to vaccinate those older than 60, Diário de Notícias reports. Younger people will receive other vaccines and anyone who’s already had one AZ shot will still get their second. That decision was sparked by a European Medicines Agency finding of a possible link between the vaccine and an “extremely rare” set of blood clots. The agency’s scientists looked at 86 cases of blood clots, 18 of which were fatal, among 25 million vaccine recipients in the European Economic Area and the UK. That’s less than a one in a million chance of death from a link the World Health Organisation says is “plausible” but “not confirmed” but it’s enough to get the condition listed as a very rare possible side effect. The age restriction is because most of the clots occurred in women under 60, which is also an age group with a lower risk of death or severe illness from COVID-19. The EMA stresses the vaccine is still safe and effective and the risk from not being vaccinated remains much higher than the risk of blood clots. The BBC takes an in-depth look at the decision in English and you can read the full EMA announcement here. The Portuguese vaccination plan is set to be revised again soon, Público reports. Directorate-General of health experts have recommended some changes to the diseases included in phase two, which is beginning now, but those haven’t been made official yet.
Covid-19 “red lines” and reopening plans
At this rate, Portugal is about two months away from reaching the government’s case numbers “red line” for reopening, Público reports. We’ve technically already passed the other measure put in place, that of keeping the R number below 1 (R explained by the BBC in English) but only just. What that points to, according to the Directorate-General of Health and Dr Ricardo Jorge National Health Institute, is case numbers trending “slightly up”. It’s unclear exactly what that means for the next stage of reopening on April 19 but Prime Minister António Costa has said any changes to the plan would be proportional (Diário de Notícias), so an R slightly above 1 (it’s currently 1.02) would likely mean only a slight handbrake, if any, on reopening plans.
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In brief
Anti-racism plan proposes university-entrance quota for students from disadvantaged schools. The government wants a more diverse public service and companies. (Públiclo)
Revolut raises fees and restricts free ATM withdrawals (Público)
Portugal's first association of sex workers. People are fighting for sex work, which currently sits in bit of a legal grey area, to be properly recognised as real work even as others seek to criminalise the practice. (Público)
On a lighter note
We’ve been lucky with the weather so far this month (sorry, I know I’ve ruined the good luck by saying that) but here’s some good news for when the April showers eventually arrive in force. Museums, galleries and monuments have been allowed to open since April 5 and, in Lisbon at least, they’re free for the entire month. That means free trips to the São Jorge Castle, Discoveries Monument, Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology and many more, according to Lusa. More information here from the organisation responsible for managing the city’s museums and monuments.
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