Reopening hasn't (yet) had ‘significant consequences’ on outbreak, and more on antibody testing plans
English language coronavirus news in Portugal on May 14, 2020.
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By the numbers
The numbers are pretty steady again today, with a slightly smaller increase in new confirmed cases and three fewer deaths. It’s the sixth day in a row we’ve seen an increase in cases below 250, but the increase in confirmed recoveries is much lower than we’ve been used to.
CORRECTION: I apologise for a typo in yesterday’s stats. The total confirmed cases should have been 28,132, not 28,312.
Provisional figures show no ‘significant consequences’ from reopening
Today’s meeting of politicians, experts and epidemiologists - the sixth since the start of the outbreak - brings good news, Público reports. Specifically, there were no surprises as the doctors sketched a picture of the current situation, which should be beginning to reflect changes introduced as the country began to reopen on May 4. Director-General of Health Graça Freitas said the reopening measures didn’t show any influence on the epidemiological curve, Diário de Notícias reported. That wasn’t to say they wouldn’t come to have an influence.
Sources contacted by Público said there still wasn’t enough data about the early stages of the reopening but President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said the “provisional” figures were promising. The President said people understood what was asked of them, to reopen in only small steps, adding that those steps didn’t have “significant consequences” on the outbreak. But he stressed we still don’t have data from which to draw “firm conclusions”. The President said each patient was infecting one other patient, with an R0 of roughly 0.98, higher in Lisbon and lower elsewhere. He wouldn’t be drawn on whether “backward steps” would need to be taken in relation to the reopening plan, saying just that “there was a timetable” and “it is presented”.
Público also highlighted three less positive figures.
One in five Portuguese say they’re having trouble accessing masks, mostly because of the price.
40% of people lost their income, totally or partially.
The SNS would have been short 352 intensive care beds if it hadn’t been reinforced.
More on Portugal’s antibody testing plans
The scientists behind Portugal’s national antibody testing plan will start analysing blood and asking questions next week, Diário de Notícias reports. But it’s unclear when we can expect answers. The Directorate-General of Health is working with 17 national hospitals and 105 clinical analysis posts spread throughout the country to carry out the study. Contrary to the PCR tests used to date, these serological tests detect when someone has previously had the disease and measure their levels of antibodies against COVID-19.
Miguel Castanho, responsible for the Physical Biochemistry of Drugs & Targets lab at the João Lobo Antunes Institute of Molecular Medicine, says as the country began to reopen it was important to know who could go out more safely. But as DN points out, it’s important to keep in mind there’s still a lot we don’t know about the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Specifically it’s not yet been confirmed what level of immunity the antibodies bring or how long they last. Castanho says any dreams of potential “herd immunity” are still a long way off in Portugal, where he says the latest estimates put the figure at about 2%, when something more like 60% or 70% is needed.
While other countries have pushed ahead with antibody testing, Portuguese authorities have been happy to wait for both the right point in the outbreak and reliable tests. DN says there’s no reason to think so-called “immunity passports” (ABC Australia, English) controversially suggested in some countries would be introduced here in the near future.
In brief
PM declares "personal and political confidence" in Finance Minister. This has nothing to do with the coronavirus but is major news here. I’m oversimplifying but essentially, according to Diário de Notícias, the state loaned Novo Banco €850 million. Prime Minister António Costa had previously promised that wouldn’t happen without an audit by Deloitte being known. The article starts by saying: “Mário Centeno stays in the government, at least for now.”
Spain didn’t work out its new plan to quarantine visitors for 14 days with Portugal. There are exceptions for cross-border workers and some others. Público reports that, for now, the Portuguese government and health authorities aren’t considering similar moves.
On a lighter note
A Portuguese guy gave a serious TV interview wearing a cabbage leaf as a mask. I really don’t know any other way to put it. Here’s the video. Couvid-19 amirite?
Unfortunately, the case he was talking about is very sad. I won’t go into it here but you can read more at Diário de Notícias.