Going to the beach is technically already allowed, and Portugal against blanket quarantine rules
English language coronavirus news in Portugal on May 19, 2020.
By the numbers
The impressive surge in recoveries has stopped today, meaning the number of active cases has risen for the first time in four days. Of course, it’s worth remembering someone is only marked as cured after a test confirms it and the numbers have been fluctuating a lot depending on what information is coming from the various health institutions. The number of deaths and new cases are both slightly higher than yesterday but within the rough range of what we’ve been seeing since early May.
99 problems but a beach ain’t one
I never thought keeping up with beach-related news would be this tricky. We already know beaches reopen on June 6, for the start of the bathing season, accompanied by a traffic-light system and an app to track capacity. But now Público reports you could technically go to the beach from yesterday, even for a swim (jogging has been permitted as exercise and surfing was included from May 4). The newspaper has taken a deeper look at the Council of Ministers’ Sunday resolution extending the state of calamity and identified a key phrase it says makes it clear beachgoing is allowed. Under the civic duty to stay at home, citizens (and residents) should avoid circulating in public spaces and streets except for a long list of exceptions including: “Travel for the purpose of enjoying moments outdoors, namely in parks, on the riverbanks, on boardwalks, on the beaches, even if for bathing, or similar.” Público noted even President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa had been convinced going to the beach wasn’t allowed. If you do go, it’s essential to maintain all the normal physical distancing rules. It looks like Observador originally broke the news (paywall) last night.
I’m running out of photos of beaches. Photo: Jorge Branco
Portugal speaks out against blanket quarantine rules
Portugal is supporting the European Commission’s position, that European countries should not unilaterally adopt “general” quarantine measures, Diário de Notícias reports. Spain’s decision to impose a mandatory 14-day quarantine on anyone arriving in the country (with the exception of border workers and a limited number of other cases) reportedly caught both Portugal (Newsletter, May 13) and France by surprise. Some countries are trying to work out deals to exempt each other’s citizens from quarantine, but in the case of the UK and France that doesn’t appear to be going very well (BBC, English). The Ministry of Internal Administration dodged a question from DN about whether Portugal was looking for similar deals, instead saying the country “supports the position of the European Commission that quarantines of general character should not be unilaterally adopted”. You can find more on the latest from the BBC in English here.
Restaurants and cafes are ready, but where are the customers?
Cafes and restaurants are back open with a lengthy list of hygiene measures but Diário de Notícias reports many are missing one thing: customers. It’s particularly apparent in places like São Domingos de Benfica, where the Loja do Cidadão (citizen shop with private and public services) and the companies in the Torres de Lisboa (Lisbon Towers) were once a huge driver of business. Restaurants there have been clinging on with roughly 20-25% of their normal takings and help from the government lay off program but hope things pick up in June.
In brief
W.H.O. Agrees to Investigate Global Coronavirus Response (New York Times, English - live blog).
Infected mothers can have contact with newborns. The new guidelines from the Portuguese Directorate-General of Health says they should follow established rules including wearing a surgical mask and “rigorous hygiene of hands, breasts and torso”.
“We cannot exclude any scenario, including that of [TAP's] insolvency”, says Infrastructure Minister Pedro Nuno Santos of the troubles facing the national airline. Nationalisation is also among the options not yet ruled out.
On a lighter note
I guess it’s the week for Portuguese people to go viral internationally. Many take it as a point of national pride that the country has a President who is happy to wander around in public relatively casually. In the past, that’s included shirtless selfies with fans on the beach. Now, it’s this photo of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa waiting in line for the checkout wearing shorts and a mask at his local supermarket. If popularity on Reddit means anything to him, (I’m sure it absolutely doesn’t) the President will be happy to see himself on top of the front page of R/Europe.
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