Most restrictions end on October 1 // Nightclubs open // masks off in small shops and restaurants
Portuguese news in English on Friday, September 24, 2021.
By the numbers
This week can be summed up pretty easily: the same as last week but a bit better. The average number of daily cases has dropped below 1000 for the first time since June and hospital and ICU numbers are the lowest they’ve been since the same period. We’re averaging about seven Covid-19 deaths a day. As far as what has quickly become the most-important number of all, 87.65% of people have had at least one dose and 84.51% (so close!) are fully vaccinated, Público reports.
Most restrictions end on October 1
October 1 isn’t exactly “freedom day” — the complete dropping of all pandemic rules in England in July — but it’s Portugal’s closest equivalent. The final stage of reopening arrives next Friday, bringing back nightclubs and bars, scrapping occupancy limits at restaurants and weddings but carrying a warning, Diário de Notícias reports. Prime Minister António Costa was at pains to explain that there wouldn’t be “total freedom”, the “pandemic isn’t over” and “the risk remains” as he announced the fruits of Portugal’s world-leading vaccination effort. By next Friday, we should easily reach 85% of the population fully vaccinated. Here are all the restrictions that disappear:
Group limits in restaurants
Digital Covid Certificate to enter restaurants on weekends or group gym classes
Occupancy limits for weddings, baptisms, retail and concerts
Trading hour limits
Recommendation to work from home
Limits on selling alcohol in certain places and drinking on the street
But some key restrictions remain. The Digital Covid Certificate will continue to be necessary for bars and nightclubs, air and sea journeys, major sport, cultural and corporate events, and visits to nursing homes and health establishments.
Masks remain mandatory on public transport and in nursing homes, hospitals, concert and event spaces and cinemas, large commercial spaces and flights. But they’re no longer required in small local shops and restaurants and won’t be needed in bars and nightclubs, Público reports.
Vaccinations centres to shift into flu mode
Health authorities are appealing to unvaccinated people who have recovered from covid-19 relatively recently to get a jab as soon as possible, before vaccination centres start dishing out flu shots, Público reports. Any resident diagnosed at least three months ago can turn up to any vaccination centre without needing to book. The government is planning to keep the vaccination centres set up to inoculate people against the flu, as well as for what’s expected to be a third jab later this year for at least some parts of the population. The European drug regulator, whose advice Portugal says it will follow, is expected to rule on Pfizer’s request to approve booster shots for people aged 16 and over, Lusa reports.
Meanwhile at the United Nations, developing nations pleaded with rich countries to stop hoarding vaccines, Reuters reported, in English. "They now talk of booster shots, while developing countries consider half-doses just to get by,” Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said. “This is shocking beyond belief and must be condemned for what it is – a selfish act that can neither be justified rationally nor morally."
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In brief
A drying (and increasingly drought-hit) country, fears rising sea levels. A big, beautiful climate change feature from Público with powerful personal stories and easy to understand data and graphs. One piece on climate change that’s worth using your browser to translate.
What are the main themes of the local council elections? Not local councils. National issues have dominated the discussion of tomorrow’s municipal elections in all but a few areas. (Público)
Portugal wants Brazil, India and an African country to become permanent UN Security Council members. China, France, Russia, the UK and the US are currently the only permanent members.
Portuguese life expectancy rises to 81.06 years. The gap between men and women is more than five years. (Diário de Notícias)
Since 2013, CCTV camera numbers have jumped from 38 to 850. Another 216 cameras are coming to Lisbon’s downtown soon. (Público)
Venues in Lisbon’s Santos neighbourhood are closing at 11pm — three hours early — this weekend to stop large gatherings. After big parties last weekend, things seemed to go smoothly last night but many locals think the measure “doesn’t make much sense”. (Diário de Notícias)
On a lighter note
Here’s some good news for all you calorie-starved Lisboetas. A flock of intimidating, delicious and excessive francesinhas are making their annual migration south for the Festival de Francesinhas in Oeiras. Northerners will still look at you with disgust on their face if you tell them you ate a francesinha this close to the Rio Tejo but it might not be as severe as normal if you tell them it was made by a proper Porto restaurant. I’ve not eaten at any of the visiting eateries — Cufra, Santa Francesinha, Francesinha do Marquês, Dickens, and Oeiras locals I Love Eat Francesinhas — but Cufra makes it into most “best francesinhas in Porto lists”. It’s on in the Jardim Municipal de Oeiras (Oeiras Municipal garden) from September 29 to October 10.
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