Hospitals at 70-80% capacity // Working from home 'not mandatory’ but it’s a bit complicated
Portuguese news in English on October 2, 2020.
By the numbers
Despite another big increase today and six more people dying, there are some positive signs in the numbers. No new patients were taken to hospital or put in intensive care and Director-General for Health Graça Freitas said the number of outbreaks had been falling. Today’s figure of 344 was significantly less than at other periods in the pandemic, she said. On a less positive note, cases are still on the increase. It can be hard to know as the numbers jump around from day to day but the 14-day average is now sitting at 722, or 99 cases per 100,000 people. While the bulk of cases are still being discovered in greater Lisbon and the North, the Algarve is starting to feature more heavily, averaging more than 30 cases a day this week.
Active, recovered, deaths, contacts under surveillance, confirmed, hospitalised, in ICU.
Hospitals at 70-80% capacity
Portugal’s hospitals are roughly three-quarters full but the government insists there is still plenty of space for a rise in covid-19 patients, Diário de Notícias reports. Secretary of State for Health Diogo Serra Lopes said the occupation rate was 70-80% but underlined there was still “slack” in case of a growth in cases. Authorities are unconcerned, in part, because that figure doesn’t take into account the capacity of emergency backup hospitals, which would only be installed in Lisbon and Porto in “extreme cases”. The country now has 1855 ventilators, including 966 newly purchased and delivered units, 713 of which are already in hospital units.
Some of those in charge are lamenting the lack of central coordination of hospital beds, Público reports. Two hospital higher ups complain that they have to waste time calling around from hospital to hospital to find space for covid-19 patients if they run out of space at their own facility.
Working from home not ‘mandatory’ but it’s a bit complicated
The newly passed law governing the reorganisation of work in larger companies in Lisbon and Porto is causing significant confusion, Público reports. The law is the one that forces businesses in those areas with more than 50 employees to introduce technical and organisational measures to guarantee physical distancing and protection of workers. That includes offsetting working hours and lunch breaks, using PPE and working within “stable teams” rather than collaborating with a lot of different people. Several labor law experts say the wording appears to obligate businesses to make any worker who can work from home do so. Although there are still some concerns, the government has come forward to clarify that the “spirit” of the law is not to make telework mandatory but to allow it as an option. Employees can refuse the rostering changes if it causes them “serious” harm or disadvantage. According to Público, the law lists the unavailability of public transport and an “essential” need to care for a family member in this section. Meanwhile, discussions are under way between political parties for an “extraordinary” increase to pensions next year and a “significant” raise in the minimum wages (currently €635), Diário de Notícias reports.
Do you want to help keep this newsletter going? You can find out how to subscribe here or hit one of these buttons to help out.
In brief
Loures mayor complains of lack of human resources in health centres. Cr Bernadino Soares criticised the fact the government hadn’t followed through on a promise to reinforce the Public Health Unit (Público)
More and more people turn to food aid programs. The state program is feeding 40,000 more people than in March, Banco Alimentar (Food Bank) is feeding an extra 60,000 and Cáritas can only assist half of those who ask for help (Público)
Firms convicted of corruption can keep supplying the Air Force. The law doesn’t permit the companies to be excluded until the conviction has run its legal course, so the companies just have to appeal the decision.
Technical director of Lar do Comércio in Matosinhos charged — 24 residents died from covid-19 (Lusa)
Court of Audit warns revision of public contracts opens the door to corruption. A few months before millions of euros in European funds for public works start to arrive, the government wants to speed up delivery by skipping several stages in the public procurement process. (Público)
On a lighter note
Yep, it’s baby animal time again. There’s a new baby penguin at the Lisbon Oceanarium and his name is Zazu. He was born in May, to parents Buzzard and Joy, who’ve lived in the Antarctic habitat since 1998 and are some of the oldest members of the penguin colony. The Magellanic penguin, named for Portuguese explorer Fernão de Magalhães, is listed as near threatened. Time Out, citing a press release from the zoo, said Zazu had been back in the Antarctic habitat since September and could be easily spotted by his young grey and beige fuzz, compared to the older penguins’ stylish tuxedos. Visitors under 26 get in for €5 until October 31.
Photo: Oceanário de Lisboa
Please keep sharing on Facebook, in real life or anywhere else you see people a bit confused by the latest news.