Portugal praised for ‘early intervention’, and Cascais to turn parks into 'beaches'
English language coronavirus news in Portugal on May 12, 2020.
By the numbers
For the first time since the start of the outbreak, Portugal has today confirmed more new recoveries than new cases. It’s also, unsurprisingly, the highest number of new recoveries added in one day. But, that’s skewed slightly by the fact the number of recovered patients wasn’t updated at all yesterday. It’s skewed even more, Observador reports, because the authorities haven’t been counting people who recovered at home in the recovered column. Director-General of Health Graça Freitas says more than 80% of cases have recovered at home and, at least until now, they haven’t been included among the cured. It’s the fourth day in a row with an increase in new cases below 1% but, sadly, the highest number of deaths we’ve seen since May 4. Of today’s 234 new cases, 178 are from Lisbon and the Tejo Valley, with only one new case in Porto and three in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from the northern city.
Portugal praised for ‘early intervention’ in pandemic
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has praised Portugal’s response to the pandemic, Público reports. The organisation highlighted the country’s “early intervention” by implementing lockdown measures when case numbers were still relatively low and a low number of imported cases. ECDC senior expert Sergio Brusin said the “timely implementation of measures”, as happened in Portugal and some other European countries, was something that could greatly reduce the spread. He also warned it was “very likely” a second wave of coronavirus infections would come, with a similar number of deaths and people gravely ill, Diário de Notícias reported.
The comments came as Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa said the country had managed to contain the spread of coronavirus without killing the economy, Diário de Notícias reported. He today promised faster help to reopen economic activity, saying it was time to take some steps to revive the economy. He said €6.2 billion had been mobilised in lines of credit to affected industries.
No decisions made on potential quarantine for travellers
As Portugal continues to flatten the curve and reopen its economy, questions are being asked about potential mandatory quarantine measures. Both the UK (BBC, in English) and Spain (Público, Portuguese) have announced mandatory two-week quarantine periods will soon apply for people arriving from another country, with some exceptions. Portuguese Secretary of State for Health António Lacerda Sales says no decisions have been made yet about whether Portugal will follow suit, Público reports. It’s important to note he was being asked in the context of Portuguese emigrants to other countries returning home for summer holidays so it’s possible different rules could apply for foreigners. Authorities have previously made it clear they want emigrants to be able to return to Portugal to see their families in the summer holiday period. The government has been recommending anyone coming into the country self-isolate as a precaution, Diário de Notícias reported at the time.
At the same time as some countries are imposing mandatory quarantines, the European Commission is discussing a plan to advise countries to open their borders to some tourists, The Guardian reports. The draft version of a report set to be released on Wednesday suggests countries with “similar overall risk profiles” accept tourists from each other. The report also mentions plans underway to create so-called “travel bubbles” between countries such as Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria, and Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
In Brief
How businesses are preparing for the new normal. A survey of about 2000 people worldwide by consultancy group Aon found about half of businesses had altered wage packages, with voluntary cuts in 13% and involuntary cuts in 14% of businesses.
Children of immigrants living in Portugal will be Portuguese at birth. The parents must have been living in Portugal for a year when the child is born.
On a lighter note
I never thought I’d see the day where Portugal needed fake beaches. But I guess that’s where we are in 2020. Público reports Cascais council is preparing to create little beaches in 18 of its urban parks, to “take pressure off the coast” amid plans to limit numbers on beaches. There won’t be any sand at these inland beaches but visitors should apparently be able to cool off with some form of “specially placed” water feature. Of course, the parks themselves will have capacity limits and people will be restricted to their own specific area of about 12m2. A pilot program featuring four parks starts on Friday.
Quinta da Alagoa is one of the parks in question. Photo: Jorge Branco