Green light and word of warning for Christmas but stricter restrictions for New Year's Eve
Portuguese news in English on December 7, 2020.
By the numbers
More than 5000 covid-19 patients have died in Portugal. Deaths this week remain at essentially their highest point yet but we’re starting to see some really positive trends when it comes to new confirmed cases and hospitalisations, particularly people in intensive care. Nationally, the two-week per capita infection rate is down to a little more than 600 per 100,000 people, from a high of more than 800. While 99 more covid-19 patients were taken to hospital today, the number of those in intensive care has dropped slightly almost every day this month, the first sustained decrease in months
Christmas celebrations given green light and word of warning
The government has given a cautious green light to limited Christmas reunions but will try to clamp down on New Year’s Eve celebrations, Público reports. Nothing changes between now and then, meaning a curfew from 11pm on weekdays and 1pm on weekends and public holidays in Lisbon, Porto, Braga and other very high or extreme risk council areas. But given there are no public holidays before Christmas, we can leave our council areas on the weekend again for the first time in what feels like ages (even though it was only a few weeks).
The council risk levels are re-evaluated every two weeks, with the next change effective from Wednesday, and you can always check your area through the dropdown box titled “Identifique o Concelho” (“Identify the County”) here. Very broadly speaking, Lisbon, all of the North and most of the Centre are in high or extreme risk of transmission (480 or more cases per 100,000 per fortnight), while Oeiras, Cascais, all of the Algarve and most of the Alentejo are at moderate or high risk, meaning the weekend curfew and some other stricter measures don’t apply.
For Christmas, you can leave your municipality and stay out in public as late as 2am on December 25 and 26, with an 11pm curfew on Boxing Day. Restaurants can stay open until 1am on December 25 and 26 but must close at 3.30pm on the 26th (Yes, these dates and times are correct. There are just two different sets of times for the morning and night of December 26). Despite public gatherings being limited to six people, the government is not enforcing any limit on the amount of people that can gather in private for Christmas lunch or dinner. Intead, Prime Minister António Costa says it’s necessary to “trust” people, underlining the warning that the more people who gather the greater the risk.
"Today families have enough information to know family gatherings are moments of risk," he said, according to Reuters, in English. "We must trust the Portuguese people."
For New Year’s Eve, the rules are stricter. Parties in public, or open to the public are banned, as is travelling outside of your council area. The limit of six people in a public gathering remains but there strangely doesn’t appear to be any restrictions on gatherings at home. However, restaurants can remain open until 1am on New Year’s Day and you’re allowed out and about until 2am.
You can check a list of the latest restrictions in English at the government’s Estamos On website here. I can’t promise they’ll always be up to date (and they don’t mention old measures like wearing a mask on busy streets, indoors and on public transport) but they’ve done a much better job of keeping them updated in the past few days.
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Health groups confident they can give 400,000 vaccine doses in about a week
Those representing health centre workers are sure they’ll be able to give the first vaccine dose to 400,000 out of the 950,000 people in the first phase of the vaccination rollout in just a week to 10 days, Público reports. But Portuguese Association of General Practice and Family Medicine president Rui Nogueira warns this will only be the start because everyone will have to return for their second dose up to a month later before the vaccine/s, if and when approved, can take full effect. Both Mr Nogueira and National Association of Family Health Units president Diogo Urjais are confident the centres can quickly vaccinate the first priority group but warn the second phase, which includes 2.7 million people, will require the hiring of more nurses and clinical secretaries. Mr Urjas says people are already trying to book a vaccination (before the European Medicines Agency has approved any vaccine) and a big communication effort will be needed to avoid unnecessary rush, doubt and stress.
In brief
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announces reelection effort today (Diário de Notícias)
Government considers help for businesses to deal with larger minimum wage increase. It’s expected to rise €23.75 from its current base of €635 but some are advocating a bigger increase. (Diário de Notícias)
Pandemic ruins Portugal's emotional well-being. A survey for Jornal de Notícias found 92% of respondents were very or significantly worried about the pandemic, with 55% suffering a large or very large effect on emotional health and wellbeing. (TSF)
Government to extend 20% revenue loss compensation for restaurants (Público)
President says former Prime Minister's death wasn’t an accident. Francisco died in 1980, after less than a year in office, in a plane crash that a majority of legislative investigative commission members later concluded to have been caused by sabotage. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is the first president to make such a declaration. (Público)
On a lighter note
Some good climate news, at least in relation to Portugal, has come out today. Público reports. Portugal has risen eight spots on the Climate Change Performance Index, which tracks national responses to the climate crisis. It’s not all good news, because the report authors note “no country is yet on track to avoid dangerous climate change”, prompting them to leave the top three spots blank. Sweden is the best performing of the evaluated countries, followed by the UK, with the US last and Portugal in 17th. In better news, greenhouse gas emissions are dropping in more than half of the countries analysed. The report highlights Portugal’s green fiscal measures and stresses the importance of next year passing the Climate Law, which includes a proposal to end fossil fuel subsidies and reduce emission by at least 55% by 2030, based on 2005 levels.
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