Year: 2020

Ikea is planning to reopen all of its stores in Portugal on June 1, but starting on Monday its restaurants will open to the public with a take-away service, this Friday was announced.

In a statement, Ikea, which foresees the reopening “of all its spaces in Portugal – stores and planning studios – as of the beginning of next month, on June 1, after the temporary closure caused by the outbreak of coronavirus “.

To prepare for a gradual safety reopening of physical stores, adds the furniture and decoration chain, “as of next Monday, May 18, all restaurants, Swedish stores and bistros in Ikea stores will reopen to the public”.

The measures of social distance, hygiene and safety will be “even more robust and in line with the recommendations of the health authorities, bringing news to the range and the flow of the restaurant”, asserts Ikea.

“To offer a faster and smoother experience at the restaurant, Ikea Portugal will have, for example, a new take-away service, for greater convenience and accessibility for customers”, an “ideal solution for those who travel to Ikea spaces to receive your orders placed by the online store through the ‘Click & Collect’ service. ”

“The health and well-being of our employees, customers and partners is Ikea Portugal’s main priority. Through the actions and readjustments that we are implementing, we will promote responsible behaviuor in all our stores and gradually return to normal, always with maximum security “, says Helen Duphorn, general director of Ikea Portugal, mentioned in a statement.

The resources to fight forest fires will be strengthened starting today, in a year in which the great challenge is the pandemic of invite-19, and it is necessary to reconcile the response to fires with health security .

The National Operational Directive (DON), which establishes the special rural fire-fighting device (DECIR) for this year, indicates that, between today and May 31, the reinforcement of resources is at level II, the first additional increase in year.

During this period, 8,402 operatives will be available, comprising the 1,945 teams and 1,968 vehicles of the various agents present in the field, in addition to air means, which will be a maximum of 37.

Among the means, DON foresees, for this period, about 3105 elements belonging to voluntary firefighters, 228 operatives of the Special Firefighters Force and 2,200 of the GNR, which includes forest guards, in addition to the almost 3,000 forest sappers.

Within the scope of DECIR, the National Watchtower Network has been in operation since May 7, comprising 77 watchtowers to prevent and detect fires.

The fire season this year has the “great challenge” in reconciling the response to the covid-19 pandemic with the fight against fires, namely the protection of the operatives involved in DECIR.

The Secretary of State for Internal Administration, Patrícia Gaspar, said this week in parliament that the DECIR in 2020 has the challenge of guaranteeing the fight against fires and protecting the forest and, at the same time, protecting the operatives that may contract Covid-19 .

In this sense, the Government has already announced that “four major measures” are foreseen to mitigate “the eventual impact of the reduction of operational ones” that could become infected with Covid-19 during the firefighting months, which has to do with the rotation of the device, use of redundancy forces, balancing (balancing) means between districts and strengthening surveillance in critical areas.

The National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) has also announced that it is preparing an operational document with measures and instructions that must be followed by those involved in fighting to minimize the effects of covid-19 on the ground.

The fire season is also overshadowed by the financial difficulties that humanitarian firefighters’ associations are currently experiencing due to the current pandemic situation, which can compromise their ability to respond to emergencies.

These financial difficulties “are the result of the abrupt decrease in the transport of non-urgent patients, with a very significant impact on their billing, aggravated by the sudden increase in spending on personal protective equipment and disinfection material”, as revealed this week.

In order to face this situation, the Government approved support for corporations that are in a situation of financial weakness and, to face the cash needs, namely to ensure the payment of salaries to salaried firefighters and other workers.

Also this week, the Government approved the financial circular, which foresees that the voluntary firefighters that are part of the fire fighting will be increased this year by four euros a day, now receiving 54 euros.

The financial circular, an annual document that regulates the State’s contribution to expenses resulting from interventions by fire brigades within the scope of ANEPC provisions, also contemplates an increase of 10% in the amount of the contribution with food.

The firefighting means will be reinforced again on June 1, but between July and September, known for the most critical phase, the period that mobilizes the biggest device, with 11,825 operational personnel, 2,746 teams, 2,654 vehicles this year and 60 aerial means.

The means are increased this year by 3% compared to 2019, namely with more rangers and forest sappers, and the aerial device is contracted for four years.

The awarding of the “Clean & Safe” seal, already available for tourist accommodations and travel agencies, will be extended to catering establishments that may require it from today, Lusa said. State Secretary for Commerce.

Completely free, voluntary and automatically issued on the spot, the “Clean & Safe” seal visually records the commitment of operators to the guidelines of the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) for the reopening of catering establishments following of closure due to covid-19.

“This is a seal of commitment by the economic operator to comply with the guidelines of the Directorate-General for Health, which were published last Friday and which are specific to the catering sector,” stated the Secretary of State for Commerce, Services and Consumer Protection, João Torres.

The seal is valid for one year and is issued online through the eportugal.gov.pt portal.

According to the Government’s Decommissioning Plan, released on April 30, restaurants and cafes will resume their activity next Monday, the 18th, but with some restrictions in terms of mitigating the spread of the 19-pandemic pandemic.

Stressing that the seal is a guarantee that the economic operator is “committed to the guidelines” of the DGS, João Torres stated that this does not mean that restaurants that do not have this “Clean & Safe” seal “do not comply” with those guidelines.

Likewise, he noted, the seal is not a necessary and sufficient condition for an establishment to be able to open doors and resume its activity from next Monday.

Last week the DGS issued guidelines for the reopening of restaurants and cafes, which should favor the use of terraces and the ‘take-away’ service, encourage prior booking and will have to reduce the maximum capacity, in order to ensure physical distance recommended two meters between people.

DGS guidelines also advise against standing, as well as ‘self-service’ operations, such as ‘buffets’.

The cleaning and disinfection of spaces must respect the guidelines previously issued by DGS.

The seal is an initiative of the Directorate-General for Economic Activities in conjunction with Turismo de Portugal (which launched it for tourism enterprises, tourist entertainment companies and travel agencies) and which also has the collaboration of the Agency for Administrative Modernization.

João Torres referred to the “notable effort” that the country is making together to contain the spread of covid-19, specifying that “confidence is the key word for the resumption of economic activity”, with this stamp “being a contribution for this confidence is further strengthened ”.

Campaign “Give a face to those who cannot” Alert to domestic violence.

Altice Portugal and Meo, have joined APAV, PSP and the GNR to combat the increase in domestic violence in times of social isolation.

At a time when the Portuguese are going through an unparalleled period, where isolation at home is decreed to contain the pandemic, and although the quarantine strategy has been the most effective action in combatting the virus, it has become even more of a threat to the victims of domestic violence.

Being fully aware of this escalating situation, Altice Portugal and MEO in partnership with Portuguese victim Support Association (APAV), the GNR and PSP have come together to fight against this problem which has worsened during these times of isolation, through an awareness campaign encouraging greater civic action.

Under the motto “give a face to those who cannot”, they are calling on family members, friends, neighbours or anyone within the circle of the victim to “not remain silent in this time of crises and to give a voice to those who cannot do it for themselves”.

“Humanize yourself” again emerges as a guiding theme of this campaign which aims to appeal to the greater proximity and values that must be assumed by society.

Executive President of Altice Portugal, Alexandre Fonseca states “this is a topic that concerns everyone and of which no one can remain indifferent”

They are challenging society to break all barriers of silence, calling for them to unite in favour of a cause that belongs to everyone.

Awareness Action

I’M HERE! CHILDREN 2020 Program

The I’M HERE! Children (EA), is a PSP initiative that was launched in 2012.

In partnership with Altice Portugal, through MEO and the Altice foundation, General Sectorial of the Ministry of Internal Administration, Commercial radio, Missing Children Europe and the Child Support Institute, more than 375 000 bracelets have been distributed and activated to children between the ages of 2 to years of age.

Each bracelet has a unique alphanumeric code which allows anyone who finds a lost child to send the code via 112. This call will be forwarded to the PSP that have the data associated to the specific bracelet, allowing them to contact the relevant parents or guardians to then orchestrate the reunion.

I’M HERE! Children covered more than 77 000 children in 2019, registering 8 activations, which resulted in reunions with the child’s family or guardians.

Usually registrations for the new annual edition of the program begins in May, but in view of the current health crises now, the validity of the bracelets of the 2019 edition, that would normally only be active until the 31^st May, has been extended to 15 July 2020.

They hope to begin the I’M HERE! Children 2020 edition as soon as possible. More details and how to order here here 

PSP Lisbon:  Saved a baby left in the rain, mother was inebriated.

A 41-year-old woman was arrested by the PSP in Lisbon on the 11^th May 2020, suspected of a crime against the person, after being found in the rain, with a baby that was naked and only wrapped in a blanket.

The suspect was under the influence of alcohol and in the rain for an hour with the 2-month-old infant, that was soaking wet and crying compulsively, indicating that it was freezing cold and hungry.
“This conduct clearly put the life and physical wellbeing of the infant in danger”, quoted from the statement issues by the PSP.

When the mother was confronted by the officers and recommended to return home, the mother in her drunken state showed no understanding of putting the infant in danger and therefore denied that she had endangered the infant’s life.

When an attempt to examine the infant was made, the mother became aggressive and proceeded to almost drop the infant to the floor.

In view of her conduct, the woman was arrested, and the infant was admitted to hospital and remains under observation and is out of danger.

The infant has been removed from the mother, who also received medical attention, but was discharged. She is now awaiting measures to be stated by the judicial authorities

Bank Scams on the rise

During the time of crises there has been a shift in crime trends.

Between the 22^nd March 2020 and the 2^nd May 2020, the PSP have recorded 135 more cases of fraud as opposed to a decrease of 43% decrease in violent and serious cases, compared to the same period in 2019.

General crime in Portugal decreased by 47% (less 9084 cases) and 43% for violent and serious crimes (minus 442 cases) during the above mentioned period, compared to the same period in 2019, according to the data  released by the PSP of the crime in context during the state of emergency.

However, the PSP reported an increase of 136% in fraud, with bank fraud, during this period (plus 135 cases), as well as having recorded an increase of 33% in computer and communications fraud (plus 210 cases).

During this week the PSP have issued a warning to the population via social media, advising about an increase in scams through the MB Way application.

There is also an increase of 25% in the number of thefts adjacent to residences (plus 42 cases), compared to the same period in 2019.

Theft and robbery have the greatest decrease in number of cases over this period, with thefts down 50% (less 3084 cases), with the largest drop of 94% (less 1019 cases) of pickpocket crimes.

There was also a drop of 55% (less 887 cases) in motor theft occurrences.

Regarding theft cases, the PSP received a decrease in 53% (less 439 cases), than in the same period as 2019. In this crime typology, theft at fuelling stations saw the greatest reduction in cases, less 88% (less 7 cases).

Braga – Rescued dog – GNR searching for owners

A medium sized dog was rescued on Sunday, from a well in the Braga area. The reasons for the dog being in the well are unknown at this point.

The GNR spokesperson stated that the rescue took place after an alert to the Environmental Protection Service (SEPNA) of the GNR in Braga was made, and the officers were sent to the location.

In conjunction with a specialized rescue team from the Bombeiros of Braga, they were able to remove the dog from the well that was located on a piece of agricultural land in Cunha.

The dog was found to be chipped but due to a technical reason the owners’ information was unable to be accessed.

The officers however were able to find a family who were willing to house the dog until the owners were located.

The same GNR spokesperson has made an appeal for the owner or anyone who may know who the dog belongs to, to please contact them with any details on the following number: 253 203 030.

The President of the Republic, Prime Minister, party representatives and social partners meet today in Lisbon with experts to analyze the epidemiological situation of covid-19, before the Government takes decisions on the second phase of deflation.

The meeting, at Infarmed, is the sixth since the beginning of the pandemic and the first after the end of the state of emergency, which took place in Portugal between March 19 and May 2, from which it was moved to a calamity situation, after the which began a gradual reopening of activities and establishments closed due to the outbreak.

With the objective of sharing information, these meetings arose at the initiative of the Prime Minister and have brought together epidemiologists and other specialists with the President of the Republic, President of the Assembly of the Republic, leaders of the parties with parliamentary representation, union and employer leaders.

After this meeting, and a lunch, in Belém, with President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, António Costa receives the parties with parliamentary representation, in the official residence of São Bento.

On Friday, the Council of Ministers is expected to assess the measures of the first phase of deflation, May 4, and those of the second phase should be announced, such as the 11th and 12th grade students’ return to classes. Years of schooling or the reopening of daycare centers, on May 18, Monday. The third phase begins on June 1st.

Last week, the prime minister said that “the confinement release rules will come into force every 15 days” and that, before moving on to the next, the measures will be evaluated.

The Government’s objective, with this phased reopening calendar, “is to measure the impacts of the previous measure every 15 days, seeing if it is possible or not to take another step,” he explained.

At the last meeting, the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, took advantage of the end of the meeting to announce that the state of emergency would end on May 2, but warned that this “is not the end of the outbreak” of covid-19, rejecting ” any facilitism “in this new phase in which” the small steps “will be assessed constantly.

The land borders between Portugal and Spain will remain controlled until 00:00 on June 15 due to the pandemic of the covid-19 disease, according to the resolution of the Councils of Ministers today published in Diário da República .

The control of land borders with Spain has been carried out since 23:00 on 16 March at nine authorized crossing points due to the covid-19 pandemic, and this control ends at 00:00 on Thursday.

The resolution published in Diário da República extends, “on an exceptional and temporary basis, the reinstatement of the control of people at the borders with Spain until 00:00 hours of June 15, 2020”.

“Taking into account the assessment of the epidemiological situation in Portugal and the European Union and the measures proposed by the European Commission, it is important to guarantee internal security through appropriate measures that contain the possible contagion lines, among which, the maintenance of replacement, exceptionally and temporary, of the control of people at the borders, with some exceptions ”, says the resolution, stressing that these measures were agreed between the Portuguese and Spanish governments.

The resolution establishes that between 00:00 hours on 14 May and 00:00 hours on 15 June 2020, “without prejudice to a reevaluation every 10 days and possible extension, the control of people at the borders is restored Portuguese internal markets ”.

The resolution published today extends the possibility of crossing borders to seasonal workers with documented work relationships.

Within the scope of border control, tourist and leisure travel between the two countries is prevented, with only the transport of goods, cross-border workers, seasonal workers, emergency and rescue vehicles and emergency services being allowed.

The operating border points are Valença-Tuy, Vila Verde da Raia-Verín, Quintanilha-San Vitero, Vilar Formoso-Fuentes de Oñoro, Monfortinho-Cilleros Thermal Springs, Marvão-Valencia de Alcântara, Caia-Badajoz, Vila Verde de Ficalho -Rosal de la Frontera and Castro Marim-Ayamonte.

The Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Patrícia Gaspar, affirmed that the Government has “four major measures” planned to mitigate the possible impact of the reduction of operational personnel in the fight against fires as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Secretary of State for Health revealed today that there are 3,183 health professionals infected with the new coronavirus, responsible for the covid-19, among which 477 are doctors and 838 nurses.

There are 774 operational assistants, 152 technical assistants and 107 infected senior diagnostic and therapeutic technicians, revealed António Lacerda Sales, at the daily press conference to update data on the pandemic in Portugal.

António Lacerda Sales also revealed that the accumulated data points to 658 recovered health professionals.

The government official, who took advantage of this update to thank the collaboration of technicians and professionals in diagnosis and therapy, pointed out that they will “be included in the updates” daily.

“I take this opportunity to thank you because you have been at the forefront in the fight against this pandemic. Thank you to all technicians and diagnostic and therapeutic professionals,” said António Lacerda Sales.

This acknowledgment and update regarding numbers infected with the new coronavirus comes a day after professionals in the fields of diagnosis and therapy accused the Ministry of Health of disrespecting the class and advanced that they consider asking for an urgent hearing from the Prime Minister.

“Professionals in the fields of diagnosis and therapy regret, once again, that they were overlooked by the Directorate-General for Health in the statement of the number of infected professionals, highlighting the stark negative discrimination to which, once again, they were subjected”, you can read in the statement sent to Lusa by the National Union of Senior Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technicians.

Prime Minister António Costa, accompanied by the Ministers of National Defence, João Gomes Cravinho, and Education, Tiago Brandão Rodrigues, visited the General Material Support Unit of the Army, in Benavente, where individual protection material is stored. to be distributed to the schools where face to face classes for the 11th and 12th grade students will start again , on May 18th.

The Prime Minister said that “in order to teach well and to learn well, it is essential that everyone feels comfortable. And everyone can only be comfortable if everyone is safe. Only then is there confidence”.

For there to be confidence among the elements of the educational community at the conclusion of the third term and the exam period that follows, the State has acquired the necessary protective equipment, he said.

“The virus does not exist in schools. The virus exists in each one of us and it is each one of us that carries it. In addition to the mask, hand washing, it is essential to practice the rule of safety distance, the respiratory etiquette and maintain hygiene standards”, he reiterated.

Resume face-to-face classes

To the teachers, staff and families of the students who are going to resume their on-site classes, António Costa wished that, starting on the 18th, “they enter the schools with confidence, to resume the learning process, which has never been interrupted, but which has been kept at a distance and must now continue in person”.

The Prime Minister praised the logistical operation of the Armed Forces, both in the disinfection of educational establishments and in the planning and organization of the distribution of protective material in about 500 schools.

“It was a very big job and it was a huge financial effort, because it is an immense amount of material. In this first wave alone, we are talking about more than four million masks for more than 500 schools”, he said.

Adaptation to the unforeseen

The Minister of National Defence highlighted the “permanent availability” shown by the Armed Forces in the fight against Covid-19, saying that “there were no holidays since the first day” of the pandemic.

João Gomes Cravinho referred that the work of the Armed Forces was first developed in coordination with the Health Government area, in the setting up of hospitals, then with that of Labor, Solidarity and the Ministry of Social Security, in supporting nursing homes and, now , in the last three weeks, with Education.

“The Armed Forces demonstrated, in this operation, a high planning capacity and, above all, a great capacity to adapt to the unforeseen. And the good Armed Forces are distinguished precisely by this ability to adapt” he said.

Trust and security

The Minister of Education also praised the role of the Armed Forces in training actions for the disinfection of educational establishments and, now, in the distribution of protective material.

“At this point, we need confidence and security. We know that we now have to do the reverse movement of lack of definition “, stated Tiago Brandão Rodrigues.

The Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Silva Ribeiro, said that the distribution of disinfection and protection material to schools takes place throughout the week and should be completed by Friday.

The Social Partners’ Commitment to economic recovery “was the first step to achieve the common effort of economic recovery,” said Prime Minister António Costa at the signing ceremony in Lisbon.

“This is only a first step, because the crisis created by Covid-19 left deep wounds in our economic and social fabric”, deeply changing the situation of the month of February, when, he recalled, there was acceleration of the economy, historical levels of low unemployment, convergence with the European Union and consolidation of public finances.

António Costa insisted that “the key to resuming activity is called trust: trust regarding security in establishments, in travel, at work”.

“This is why this commitment” between the social partners and the government “that we will resume economic activity in accordance with the best standards defined by the DGS, based on the best scientific knowledge we have, in the best way to protect ourselves from the virus”, he said.

Joining forces to regain employment

The Prime Minister said that “recovery of employment is the next priority, and for that we need to join forces for a recovery as quickly and safely as possible”.

But “we cannot do it alone”, without the European Union, “because this recovery requires more capital in companies, more public investment, more effort in vocational training, more social support measures”.

Another reason why Portugal cannot recover on its own is that its economy “is now much more internationalised” – in February exports represented 44% of GDP, and tourism is substantially dependent on abroad.

António Costa said that “our main clients are Spain and Germany, and if their economy is bad, ours can’t be good. We need Europe to help all European economies to get back on track so that ours, and all of them, can get back on track”.

Balance between pandemic and economy

The Prime Minister said that “to revive the economy without letting the pandemic get out of hand is the balancing game that we have to maintain, so that we do not die to the disease or the cure, but that with the cure we save ourselves from the disease, saving income, employment and businesses, without which there is neither”.

“This global commitment has different declinations for each sector of activity,” he said, referring to the reopening of smaller establishments, commercial, hairdressers and barbers, opticians and automobiles, and “the agreement between the DGS and AHRESP, based on the DGS standards and a voluminous code of good practice that AHRESP has developed,” for the reopening of restaurants and the like, which was also signed today.

António Costa said that although it is not possible “to resume the activity without constraints that generate inconvenience”, “living with the virus implies living with many limitations, which are fundamental for the citizen to gain confidence to go to the hairdresser or barber, to the commercial establishment, to work”, so “that the economic chain can be re-established”.

“If we can’t re-establish confidence, then the problem is no longer just public health, but the subsistence of family income, because companies that don’t sell, don’t employ and, if there is no employment, there is no income,” he said.

So what the government did initially, as far as possible, was “to freeze the companies so as not to let them die, the employment so as to let it exist, and the income so as to avoid the biggest fall”, through measures to support their survival.

Support to business

The Prime Minister said that “these measures are having an effect on the economic fabric. Of the credit lines, we have already approved guarantees – which is the state’s share – worth more than EUR 5 billion”.

However, “State guarantees mean guarantees of taxpayers’ money, and loans are not money distributed, they are money contracted”.

“Banks are the vehicles for transmitting that money to the economy, and we want them to be demanding because it is about making viable companies that are in crisis because they have been hit by the virus, but that are viable; it is not about feeding companies that are not economically viable, so that taxpayers don’t have to pay for these loans afterwards,” he said.

By handing over the decision to the banks the government is also ensuring transparency, as it should not be “the government that decides which company it supports or not”, he said.

The Minister of State, Economy and Digital Transition, Pedro Siza Vieira, and the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Ana Mendes Godinho, were also participating in the ceremony.