Help for independent workers, and more on schools and beaches
English language coronavirus news in Portugal on May 6, 2020.
Thanks so much to everyone who filled out the survey. I really appreciate it. There were lots of good ideas so I’ll take a deeper look and let you know what I’m thinking as soon as possible.
By the numbers
Another 15 COVID-19 patients have died, which is the second fewest (after yesterday’s 11) since March. The health authorities found more than two times as many new cases today (480) compared to yesterday (178). It’s at the higher end of the amount of new confirmations we've seen in the last week and a bit but we can’t take much information away from a single day’s worth of testing. In better news, we have the highest number of recoveries recorded in one day (333) taking the total beyond 2000.
More help for independent workers
Eligibility for government support has been widened to include more independent workers, Diário de Notícias reports. Currently, only independent workers who chose to make social security payments in their first 12 months of working are protected. On Wednesday, Prime Minister António Costa said his government would “take a step” to also protect self-employed workers who chose not to make payments in their first year. Naturally, he said, they would not receive the same amount as those who made contributions in that first year. State support will also be widened to small business owners who employ up to 10 workers. Previously it was only available to small business owners without any employees. The guarantee period for access to unemployment benefits is also being extended.
Back to school
After much discussion, the government has settled on what measures to put in place for the return to school of students in years 11 and 12, Diário de Notícias reports. Schools will need to create action plans to limit the risk of contagion, according to a letter sent by the Ministry of Education. Class schedules should be organised to avoid large concentrations of people being at school at once, cut down on free periods between classes and the amount of times children have to go to school. Intervals between classes should be as short as possible and students should, as a rule, stay in the room. There should be one child per desk and they should not be facing each other.
Small beaches might not open this summer
When beaches eventually reopen there are likely to be different rules depending on their size, Deputy Secretary of State to the Prime Minister Tiago Antunes tells Público. Specifically, Antunes warned some smaller beaches might remain closed to stop gatherings of people. The issue is how to keep people far enough apart on a small beach, compared to one with a large area of sand where people can spread out. It’s just one of the ideas the government is considering. The bathing season is due to start on June 1 but there are still many uncertainties, Público reports. Some beaches could open with conditions, others later in the year and still others not at all.
I’m assuming Carcavelos will be among the large beaches. Photo: Jorge Branco
In brief
Brussels confirms a recession of historic proportions. The European Commission predicts an EU-wide GDP decline of 7.5%, with 6.8% in Portugal. The BBC reports in English here.
Testing for antibodies starts in two Portuguese hospitals. 240 nurses and 134 operational assistants who were exposed to COVID-19 will take serological tests to determine their degree of exposure.
On a lighter note
When Ivica Maricic went to a tasca (cheap restaurant) in Vila Nova de Mil Fontes in 1983 he figured his knowledge of Spanish, Italian and a bit of Latin would serve him well. But that wasn’t to be the case. He and his companion chose some meat and fish plates, without any idea what they were ordering before he saw “verdes” (greens) written on the menu. Thinking they must be side dishes, he chose two “verdes” at random and a bottle of “vinho tinto” (red wine). Of course, the waiter thought it was a bit weird but dutifully delivered their food, along with a bottle of red wine and two bottles of vinho verde.
This Diário de Notícias feature on foreigners who’ve become fluent is a little bit of hope for anyone who’s ever felt like they’ll never learn Portuguese. Although it does mention most of them still have difficulties occasionally.