Unvaccinated mum, dad and brother die in Portugal in one week // Vaccines open for all teens, walk-ins for all adults
Portuguese news in English on Friday, August 13, 2021
By the numbers
Not much has changed from last week. Cases are down a little, deaths are up the tiniest bit and hospitalisations and people in ICU are starting to fall nicely. For anyone wanting a bit more details, that’s a 14-day average of about 2300 cases a day (down from about 2500), 14 deaths a day (up from 12.5) and with about 100 fewer COVID-19 patients in hospital and 25 fewer in ICU. Lisbon and the Tejo Valley still has the most cases but is pretty much neck and neck with the North. According to Público, 72.03% of the publication have received one vaccine dose and 61.45% are fully protected.
Check the current restrictions here.
Unvaccinated mum, dad and brother die in Portugal in one week
For anyone on the fence about vaccination, please read this. A Welsh man says he lost his unvaccinated brother, father and mother — all living in Portugal — within a week after they caught COVID-19 at a family meal, The Independent (and a lot of other British papers) reports, in English. “They got caught up in a lot of the anti-vaccination propaganda,” Chef Francis Gonçalves said. “It preys on people who are afraid and they fall into the trap. The message I want to get out is why would the government want to hurt you by giving you a vaccine? What is the purpose behind it? I’ve spoken to so many people who are terrified of the vaccine and it costs lives.” The Cardiff man begged people to stop spreading misinformation and get the vaccine.
Vaccines open for all teens, walk-ins for all adults
Kids as young as 12 will start to be vaccinated from August 21, Público reports. The online booking portal has again been temporarily restricted — this time for those aged 12–15 — but should be open to everyone again by Sunday. In the meantime, and going into the future, the Open House (Casa Aberta) vaccination program is available for every adult. You can check your local vaccination centre’s hours for walk-in jabs here or take a digital ticket (senha) to avoid a queue here.
Porto vax hub suspends jabs after fridge problem
Vaccinations have been suspended at one of Porto’s biggest vaccine hubs as authorities investigate a possible cold-chain storage failure that would have spoiled some jabs, Diário de Notícias reports. There are no adverse side effects expected but everyone vaccinated at the Queimódromo do Porto on Tuesday and Wednesday will be contacted by next week to monitor the effects of the vaccine. COVID-19 task force co-ordinator Henrique Gouveia e Melo admitted the jabs administered on those days might end up being worthless. He said that would have to be verified. The commander added that Portugal was the fourth most vaccinated country in the European Union.
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In brief
Lisbon's Discoveries Monument vandalised: “Blindly sailing for monney [sic], humanity is drowning in a scarllet [sic] sea lia [sic]” Foreign woman who’d done similar things in different places considered suspect (Público)
Web Summit returns to Lisbon (in person) in November. Organisers say they’re working with health authorities to make the event safe (Público)
Return to work back at pre-pandemic levels, but not for many. Young people, less qualified and those in insecure jobs are all still suffering
On a lighter note
August is well and truly here but we can’t all be swanning around the Algarve. Luckily, Time Out has us citydwellers covered, with a massive list of best beach restaurants near Lisbon and a northern alternative, Porto’s best beach bars. The Lisbon entry covers everything from Ericeira and Sintra down to the Cascais line and Costa da Caparica, and the Porto list includes ranges from breakfast/brunch offerings through to dinner and cocktails. Bonus lighter note/blatant plug for Daniela’s excellent work: 13 best day trips from Lisbon.
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