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Madeira Situation Report Wednesday 9th March 2022 

By Daniel Fernandes 

Brief Covid-19 update

By March 7th, there were 54 patients in hospital (13 non-vaccinated, 1 vaccinated with one vaccine dose, 22 fully vaccinated, 17 vaccinated with a booster shot), 1 of whom in intensive care (1 non-vaccinated). As for the age of the hospitalised patients who are in the general Covid-19 area, 4 are aged 0-17, 16 are aged 18-65 and 33 are 65 or older. The patient who is in intensive care is aged 65 or older.

There were 7 deaths from March 1st and March 7th. There have now been a total of 210 deaths.

17 families willing to host Ukrainian refugees

By March 7th, 17 families from Madeira and Porto Santo had made themselves available to temporarily host Ukrainian citizens who are stranded or are yet to arrive in the Region.

By the same day, a total of 86 applications had been made to SEF (73 stranded citizens who were in the Region when the war started and other citizens who will soon be on their way to the Region).

The citizens who are staying in a hotel have been receiving support from e Social Emergency Fund, while 35 citizens had said they did not need any support for the time being.

As of March 7th, 14 Ukrainian children who remain stranded in Madeira had not been integrated into the regional education system because their parents were still unsure if they were going to remain in the Region for a longer period of time. However, the Regional Education Secretariat stands ready to provide school places to them at any time.

ACAPOARAMA will provide Portuguese language classes at the hotel where the Ukrainian citizens are staying.

Online form available for families willing to host refugees from the Ukraine conflict

Families in Madeira and Porto Santo who are willing to voluntarily host refugees who had to flee the Ukraine conflict can fill an online form expressing this desire. The online form is short, can be filled quickly and will help the authorities in their planning.

The form can be found here:

Below is a translation of the online form:

1. Nome – Name

2. Contacto telefónico – Phone contact

3. Contacto de email – Email address

4. Morada – Address

5. Quantas pessoas pode alojar? – How many people can you host?

6. Durante quanto tempo está disponível para providenciar o alojamento? – How long will you be available to provide accommodation?

7. Tipologia do espaço – Type of accommodation

Quarto em casa partilhada – Room in shared accommodation

Anexo – separate lodging within the premises

Casa/andar individual – Individual floor/home

Outra – Other

Free sport for Ukrainian children

Clube Naval do Funchal will provide free sports practice to minors whose parents are Ukrainian and have decided to stay in Madeira. The aim is to help the youngsters integrate better in the local community, a community that is famous for being very welcoming.

The following sports will be available: Canoeing, Judo, Karate, Swimming, Stand Up Paddle, Surfing, Triathlon, Sailing and Adapted Sports.

Psychological support for Russian and Ukrainian citizens in Madeira

 The Madeira Regional Government set up a mobile phone number for the provision of psychological support for Russian and Ukrainian citizens who live in the Autonomous Region of Madeira. Its number is 969 320 140 and will be available everyday from 09h00 to 21h00.

Water supply disruption

The Municipality of Funchal announced there will be water supply disruption TODAY, between Estrada da Fundoa and Ponte de Pau, from 15h00 to 23h00. The following areas will be affected:

– Rua Mestre Sidónio

– Estrada João Abel de Freitas (between Brisa – a previous restaurant and Rua Padre Mário Casagrande)

– Bairro dos Viveiros

– Rua 5 de Outubro (up to Ponte de Pau)

Power cut

Empresa de Electricidade da Madeira (Madeira power supplier) announced there will be power cuts due to scheduled work on the electricity supply network. These cannot be postponed and will take place in the following days and places:

FUNCHAL

March 10th – 09h00 to 11h30

– Rua da Saúde (numbers 2 to 14)

March 11th – 00h00 to 05h00

– Rua da Alfândega (number 147)

– Rua dos Tanoeiros (numbers 34 to 60)

– Rua 5 de Outubro (numbers 4 to 28)

– Travessa dos Açougues (number 5)

– Travessa da Praça (number 3)

– Beco do Pimenta (number 8)

– Largo da Praça (numbers 2 to 10)

–  Rampa do Cidrão (numbers 2, 3, 5, 10 and 14)

March 11th – 00h00 to 06h00

– Rua do Hospital Velho (numbers 5A to 19A)

– Rua da Infância (number 4)

– Travessa da Infância

– Largo dos Lavradores (numbers 3 to 7)

March 11th – 09h00 to 11h30

– Estrada Cónego Camacho de Freitas

However, power could be restored during the time frame mentioned above. So, for safety purposes, it should be assumed that there will be power at any time during this period of time.

If necessary, customers can contact the free Customer Support Service number (Serviço de Apoio ao Cliente): 800 221 187.

https://funchalnoticias.net/2022/03/09/publicidade-o-fornecimento-de-energia-sera-interrompido-nos-dias-horas-e-locais-abaixo-indicados-anuncio-25-2022/

Portugal Situation Report Wednesday 9th March 2022

Introduction

It is very saddening to have reached a point of being closer to normality as far as Covid-19 is concerned, only now to have a war in Ukraine! We have had to deal with a considerable amount of bad news over the last two years and it now appears this is set to continue.

Since last week’s report, the news has been dominated by events in Ukraine. The war has effected everyone especially, of course, all those suffering directly in Ukraine. The invasion by Russia has so far resulted in over 2.1 million people (nearly all women and children) fleeing the country, the fastest growing humanitarian crisis since World War II (UNHCR).

What we are seeing on television and through the media is truly terrible and distressing. Massive destruction; women, children and the elderly sheltering underground to help escape the relentless bombardment of their homes by the Russian military and the plight of many innocent people caught up in this. Exacerbating this are evacuation attempts, previously agreed, but which have mainly failed due to military strikes – it is truly devastating. Let us hope that the first successful evacuation yesterday will continue to day.

Against this we have seen the considerable resilience, fortitude and bravery of the Ukrainian people themselves, fighting to keep their land at all costs. This was exemplified last night by their President, whose impassioned speech to the House of Commons, served as an inspiration that everyone needs to do more to support the Ukrainian people in their hour of need. What a man President Zelensky is; his spirt best amplified up by his words:

“We will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost. We will fight in the forests, the fields, the shores and in the streets.” Ukraine will not give up and “we will not lose”.

The only positive note from this war has been the united global response (apart from a few countries) coming together in the provision of assistance to Ukraine and the imposition of unprecedented sanctions on Russia.

Portugal is playing its part by sending aid and supplies to Ukraine, with many organisations raising money and providing equipment ranging from ambulances to clothing medical supplies for example. Other bodies such as the Order of Doctors and Order of Notaries are providing free services to Ukrainians and the Government has provided a safe haven for over 2000 Ukrainian refugee who have so far arrived here.

There are many ways to assist those in need and we have created a page for this purpose which can be downloaded here: https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/helping-ukraine-in-this-time-of-crisis/

Our role at Safe Communities in times such as this, is to report news that impacts in some way on Portugal, promote services that can help the victims of the war, as well as a general overview of latest events. Rather than report numerous events individually, which becomes even more depressing, we summarize these each day in the form of a Situation Report divided into various headings such as “Humanitarian aid”, (Military Operations” etc. This makes it easier to find information and in summary formation it highlights the main points. There is a tab on our website where you can find information or through our daily post on Facebook.

There are two aspects that could potentially affect Portugal and many countries closer to Ukraine, one being the potential impact of a “no-fly zone” should one be established over Ukraine and the other is a western ban on Russian oil. The President of Ukraine has repeatedly called for a no fly zone over Ukraine but this has been rejected by the UK, various countries in the EU and NATO itself. A no-fly zone, is a region or area where a military power has halted the operations of certain aircraft. That is to say more simply, if any plane is found to be flying in a no-fly zone the imposing military power will shoot it down, either through its own air force or through ground units.

While NATO was responsible for establishing the NFZs seen in the past, it is unlikely it will impose one in Ukraine. The reason behind the move is simple – Iran, Libya, Bosnia-Herzegovina did not involve any nuclear states, but Russia has its own nuclear weapons. To explain a bit further, imposing a NFZ would mean NATO jets directly engaging in combat with Russian airplanes. This escalation between Russia and NATO is something that the organisation is trying to avoid, believing it to be a prelude to either WWIII or a nuclear conflict.

Turning to oil prices – On Monday, Russia warned it might close off its main gas pipeline to Germany if the West went ahead and banned Russian oil. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said such a move would lead to “catastrophic consequences” for global supply and lead to the oil price doubling to $300 a barrel.

Since 1945, 11 out of 12 times that there has been such a movement in the oil price scale, we ended up having a recession in the next six to eight months. The current situation is creating a harmful impact on the West.  The increase in the price of a barrel of oil and the fluctuations in the markets are a consequence of the imposition of sanctions, which were very important, but with delay or not reaching the desired outcome, has consequences that have to be very well monitored from the western side”, to avoid a risk of recession.

Ukrainian and Russian Foreign Ministers are due to meet on Thursday and with the President of Ukraine stating that he no longer plans to seek membership of NATO and is open to “compromise” on the status of two breakaway pro-Russian territories that Putin recognized as independent, let us hope there is some negotiating room to bring this war to a conclusion saving countless more lives.

Lastly turning to Covid-19, mainland Portugal will remain on alert due to covid-19, until 23:59 hrs on March 22, according to a resolution of the Council of Ministers published this Tuesday in the Diário da República, and which immediately enters into force. Please see our Facebook post yesterday.

With that have a Safe Day.

Feature

Why Ukraine’s problem is everyone’s problem

Ukraine was struggling to control the COVID-19 pandemic even before Russian troops advanced on the country. It was slower to launch its COVID-19 vaccination campaigns than other European countries, and while the government encouraged citizens to get immunized, most people struggled to find a way to get the shot, didn’t feel the need to get vaccinated, or didn’t trust the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

Just before the invasion on Feb. 24, only 35% of the Ukrainian population had been vaccinated. That puts it in line with most of its neighbouring countries, although some, including Poland and Hungary, have achieved higher vaccination coverage. Like many other countries, Ukraine experienced a surge in cases due to the Omicron variant in November and another peak in the first week of February—most likely due to its low level of vaccination. By the middle of February, 60% of COVID-19 tests conducted in the country were positive.

Vaccination and mitigation measures such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and basic hygiene are critical for curbing spread of SARS-CoV-2, but are impossible to maintain when a country is under siege. The humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders has been distributing trauma kits and training health care providers in Mariupol, Ukraine—a target of the Russian attack—as well as providing shelter and basic health needs for those crossing the border into other countries like Poland. But it’s not enough.

“War is an infectious disease’s best friend,” says Michael Osterholm, director of the Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. “It challenges every public health program you can possibly have. It limits the medical care available for those who might be seriously ill, and often fosters transmission when so many people are crowded into bomb shelter locations and on trains. This is going to be the perfect storm of one serious challenge after another.”

Hospitals will likely be hit hardest by the influx of refugees during the pandemic, say public health experts. War-related injuries will take precedence over COVID-19 care, which will only make it easier for the virus to spread. That disruption will in turn lead to more health care workers who will get infected, and won’t be able to perform their duties.

https://time.com/6153254/ukraine-russia-war-covid-19/

Covid-19

COVID -19 Situation Tuesday 8th March 2022

Confirmed: 3,352,874 (+15068 / +0.45%)

Admitted in hospital: 1,225 (-25 / -2.00%)

Admitted to ICU: 78 (-3 / -3.70%)

Deaths: 21,248 (+32 / +0.15%)

Recovered: 2,856.458 (+12,649 / +0.44%)

Active cases: 475,168 (+2387 /+0.55%)

TRENDS

A moderate increase in new cases compared to previous days. Not unusual after the weekend. Above last week’s daily average

A moderate decrease in hospitalisations after 2 days of increases. Total in hospital well below last week’s average

A further decrease of those in ICU, and lowest since October 2021.

Death larger than for over a week and well above last weeks’ daily average (22)

Active cases increase after 3 days of decreases

Heath

Mainland Portugal remains on alert for covid-19 for another 15 days

Resolution of the Council of Ministers that enters into force this Tuesday emphasizes that “the current situation also requires that the declaration of alert situation be renewed” until March 22 at the end of the day

Mainland Portugal will remain on alert due to covid-19, until 11:59 pm on March 22, according to a resolution of the Council of Ministers published this Tuesday in the Diário da República, and which immediately enters into force.

“Notwithstanding the epidemiological situation caused by the covid-19 disease pandemic has maintained its positive evolution since the entry into force of that resolution of the Council of Ministers – in terms of the number of new daily cases of infection by SARS-CoV-2, as well as  with regard to the number of citizens hospitalized, including those in intensive care -, the current situation also requires that the declaration of alert situation be renewed throughout the continental national territory for an additional period of 15 days”, reads the document. .

The text also states that, in addition to renewing a declaration of alert status throughout the mainland, all the rules established by Council of Ministers Resolution No. 25-A/2022, of February 18, remain in force.

At the time, mainland Portugal was no longer in a situation of calamity, the highest level of response, which had been in force since December 1, 2021.

The Council of Ministers updated several measures to move towards the new phase of the pandemic and in which it was decided to lift a set of restrictions.

Other news

Ryanair moves towards fleet reduction and cancels 19 routes in Lisbon in the summer

Ryanair announced this Tuesday that it will proceed with the reduction of the fleet at Lisbon airport, in the summer, “since the Portuguese Government has not acted” to free TAP “slots”, and will cancel 19 Portela routes for the summer.

In a statement, the Irish airline said that, “since the Portuguese Government did not act”, “it was forced to reduce the number of aircraft based in Lisbon, from seven to four, for the summer of 2022, causing the cancellation of five thousand flights, 900 thousand passengers and 19 routes from Lisbon for summer 2022”.

Ryanair also added that those cancellations will lead to the “loss of 150 well-paid jobs” at Humberto Delgado airport.

“We regret this unnecessary inconvenience for all passengers on these cancelled flights and the loss of 19 routes due to the blocking of unused slots by TAP in the summer of 2020, in Lisbon”, said the executive president, Michael O’Leary, quoted in the same note.

The low-cost airline has twice appealed to the Prime Minister, António Costa, for the release of slots (slots) not used by TAP until March 4, indicating that, if this did not happen , would have to cancel routes. 

Passenger transport grows on all roads except metro in 2021

Lisbon, Mar 08, 2022 (Lusa) – Passenger transport grew by 39.3% by air, 11.5% by train and 2% by waterway, but a decline of 2.8% by metro, according to preliminary data for 2021, released today by INE.

“The preliminary results for 2021 show growth in passenger transport by air (+39.3%; -69.4% in 2020), by train (+11.5%; -38.8% in 2020) and by waterways (+2.0%; -42.8% in 2020) and a decrease in passenger transport by subway (-2.8%; -48.1% in 2020)”, noted the National Institute of Statistics (INE), which published data on transport activity in the fourth quarter of 2021, as well as preliminary results for last year’s total.

According to the statistical authority, passenger transport increased in the last quarter of 2021, but the annual results were “still far from those of 2019”. In the last quarter of 2021, national airports handled 9.8 million passengers, which represents a growth of 212.9% compared to the same period in 2020. However, compared to the same period of 2019, there was a decrease of 26.9%.

In the quarter under analysis, the number of passengers per train and per metro increased by 40.6% and 44.9%, corresponding to 39.8 and 48.6 million users, respectively. Even so, compared to the same period of 2019, there were respective decreases of 18.9% and 35.1%.

Passenger transport by waterway increased by 37.2% compared to the same quarter of 2020, reaching 3.8 million passengers, but decreased by 29.2% compared to the fourth quarter of 2019.

Regarding the transport of goods, the preliminary results for 2021 indicate an increase compared to the previous year across all modes of transport, with air transport registering a growth of 29.8% (after -30.2% in 2020), 11% by rail (-7.6% in 2020), 11.2% by road (-14.8% in 2020) and 5.2% by sea (-7% in the previous year).

In the fourth quarter of 2021, freight transport by air grew 31.5% year-on-year, but less significantly than in previous quarters (+52.5% in the third quarter and +108.3% in the second), corresponding to a reduction of 2.9% compared to the last three months of 2019.

On the railways, the transport of goods recorded an increase of 7.5% compared to the same period of 2020 (+16.5% in the previous quarter) and of 3.9% compared to the same period in 2019, a decrease of 1.2% compared to the fourth quarter of 2020 (+0.7% in the third quarter of 021), also recording a reduction compared to the fourth quarter of 2019 (-3.6%).

Transport of goods by road continued to register a slight increase of 1.2% in the fourth quarter of last year.

 

 

Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 9th March 2022

Ukraine: Bus from Loulé to pick up 52 refugees

It was just after 6 am on Monday, when a bus left the Loulé Bus Terminal bound for Warsaw, Poland, to support the refugee population from the war in Ukraine and collect a group of 52 people who will settle in the municipality of Loulé, the municipality said in a statement.

“These people who choose Portugal to rebuild their lives, destroyed by the military conflict, are mainly women and children, most of them family members of Ukrainian citizens already residing in the municipality of Loulé”, reinforces the same source.

The bus that should arrive at the destination this Tuesday at the end of the day, also takes some material for the refugees who are on Polish soil, namely medical and first-aid material, food and clothing.

The delegation that will pick up these Ukrainian citizens is made up of 4 drivers (who will take turns during the journey), a doctor from the ABC – Algarve Biomedical Centre, a social action technician and a translator. The return trip will take place on the morning of Wednesday, March 9th.

Also in the coming days, a truck with essential goods will be heading towards Ukraine, which are being collected by associations, entities and civil society in the municipality of Loulé. This initiative carried out by the Municipality of Loulé, and which is part of the mechanisms for supporting and welcoming refugees, is carried out in close collaboration with DOINA – Association of Romanian and Moldavian Immigrants in the Algarve and validated by the High Commissioner for Migrations, Secretariat of State for Integration and Migration and Secretary of State for Internationalization. It also has the support of ABC – Algarve Biomedical Centre.

“Together for Ukraine”: Câmara de Tavira updates list of needs

In the context of the conflict situation in Ukraine, and following the support of the Municipality of Tavira to the campaign to support this country, the list of needs was updated, and the new goods can be delivered to the group of Ukrainian volunteers/ those in Tavira, until the 31st of March, in the building where the Youth Foundation operated (Rua Maria Aboim, n.º 1), from Monday to Friday, between 3 pm and 6 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays, between at 10 am and 6 pm.

According to the Municipality, the goods collected will later go to the Algarve Ukrainian Association, in Faro, where the Ukrainian logistics centre for the Algarve “Together for Ukraine!” was created. Volunteers are available for more information on 961 205 514.

International women’s Day – City Hall marks the occasion with various activities in Portimão.

The municipality of Portimão is preparing to mark International Women’s Day tomorrow, Tuesday, March 8th, with several initiatives that aim to celebrate all women and their achievements and alert the community to the issue of gender equality, which is once again the theme chosen this year by the United Nations for this event.

With the aim of making young people aware of the change in attitudes and discriminatory practices between men and women in the public and private spheres, and within the scope of the activities of the TIAR CLDS Portimão project that promote gender equality, it will take place during the day. , at the Bemposta Elementary and Secondary School and at the Engenheiro Nuno Mergulhão Elementary School the activity «Dialogues for Change».

This initiative will sensitize the students of these schools to change attitudes and discriminatory practices between men and women in the public and private spheres.

It is part of the TIAR CLDS Portimão program of activities, for the promotion of gender equality within the scope of this project to fight poverty and social exclusion, to promote employment and to improve the living conditions of the population in of economic, social and personal vulnerability.

 

Azores Situation Report – Wednesday 9th March 2022  

From our colleague in the Azores

During the last week up until the 8th of March there were 2,962 new cases of Covid-19 reported.  During the same period, there were 3,951 recoveries.  Sadly, there were also 7 deaths.

Hospitalisations: 

As of today, there are 22 patients hospitalised, 14 of them at the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital on the island of São Miguel (one in intensive care), three at the Horta Hospital on the island of Faial and five at the Santo Espírito Hospital of Terceira Island.

Current situation: 

The archipelago currently registers 2,916 active positive cases: 1,737 on the island of São Miguel, 615 on the island of Terceira, 180 on the island of Faial, 154 on the island of Pico, 129 on the island of São Jorge, 63 on the island of Graciosa, 25 on the island of Flores, 12 on the island of Santa Maria and one on the island of Corvo.

Parliament of the Azores repudiates invasion and defends withdrawal of Russian forces 

The parliament of the Azores unanimously approved a draft resolution repudiating the invasion of Ukraine, calling for the “immediate withdrawal of Russian forces” from that country and expressing the region’s solidarity with the Ukrainians.

Bolieiro appeals to Azoreans to receive Ukrainian refugees 

The President of the Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, launched an appeal to Azorean citizens, companies and regional institutions, to support refugees from Ukraine by providing shelter.

“For now, this appeal is made to all Azoreans, families, companies, institutions, who are available to receive families, to communicate with us, to make a reception to the Ukrainian people, suffering in an unjust war”, highlighted the chief executive. Azorean, at the end of an audience granted to a Ukrainian citizen, residing in Portugal, who has a business in the Azores.

Maritime Authority and Navy warn of waves that can reach 10 meters in the Azores 

The National Maritime Authority and the Navy warned of the worsening of the state of the sea in the Azores, this Tuesday, with waves that could reach 10 meters, appealing to the population to redouble care.

“The sea wave will be characterized by a wave coming from the west quadrant, with a significant height that can reach four metres and a maximum height of ten metres, with an average period ranging between nine and 12 seconds. Winds with an average intensity of up to 35 km/hour and gusts of up to 75 km/hour are expected, coming from the west/southwest quadrant,” the authorities said in a press release.

The National Maritime Authority and the Navy appeal to the population to redouble care, “both when preparing to go to sea, and when they are at sea or in coastal areas”.

In this sense, they recommend that fishermen reinforce the mooring and maintain a “close surveillance of the moored and anchored vessels”.

They also recommend that the population avoid “walks by the sea or in areas exposed to maritime agitation” and that recreational fishing activities are not practiced, “especially along the cliffs and cliff areas often hit by the breaking waves”.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) today issued yellow warnings for the western and central groups of the Azores, referring to maritime agitation, precipitation and wind, on Tuesday.

 

Madeira Situation Report Wednesday 2 March 2022

By Daniel Fernandes

Brief Covid-19 update

On February 23rd, the number of Covid-19 deaths reached 200 in the Autonomous Region of Madeira.

By March 2nd, there were 85 patients in hospital (19 non-vaccinated, 3 vaccinated with one vaccine dose, 36 fully vaccinated, 37 vaccinated with a booster shot), 1 of whom in intensive care (1 vaccinated with a booster shot).

There were 4 deaths in the last 7 days. There have now been a total of 203 deaths.

https://funchalnoticias.net/2022/02/23/madeira-atinge-200-mortos-com-covid-19/ 

https://funchalnoticias.net/2022/03/02/85-pessoas-internadas-com-covid-19-na-ram/

Covid-19 vaccination changes

On February 26th, Pedro Ramos (Madeira’s Health and Civil Protection Secretary) honoured all professionals who have been involved in the Region’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout. He praised their “hard-work, professionalism and dedication” during the entire Covid-19 vaccination process. His speech took place at Funchal Vaccination Centre (Madeira Tecnopólo), which was the first vaccination centre to open (on February 13th, 2021) and the last to close (on February 27th, 2022).

From March 5th onwards, Covid-19 vaccination in the Region will take place in municipal health centres (Centro de Saúde). In Funchal, Covid-19 vaccination will take place during weekends at Centro de Saúde do Bom Jesus (Bom Jesus Health Centre). In the remaining municipalities, it will take place every two weeks, on Saturdays. It should be noticed that in the Municipality of Santa Cruz, it will take place at Centro de Saúde do Caniço (Caniço Health Centre).

Covid-19 vaccination must be booked by calling SRS VACINAS (Vaccination hotline) – 800 210 263. All calls are free of charge.

https://funchalnoticias.net/2022/02/27/gr-reconhece-papel-de-profissionais-envolvidos-na-vacinacao-contra-a-covid-19/

Psychological support for Russian and Ukrainian citizens in Madeira 

The Madeira Regional Government set up a mobile phone number for the provision of psychological support for Russian and Ukrainian citizens who live in the Autonomous Region of Madeira. Its number is 969 320 140 and will be available everyday from 09h00 to 21h00.

https://www.jm-madeira.pt/regiao/ver/161516/Governo_Regional_cria_linha_de_apoio_psicologico_para_russos_e_ucranianos_a_residir_na_Madeira_

Russian and Ukrainian tourists stranded in Madeira

Hundreds of Russian and Ukrainian tourists were stranded in Madeira at the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, as a result of the lack of flights and/or flight bans.

Although most tourists would like to return home, by February 26th, 80 Ukrainian tourists had already left the Region. On that day, 70 Ukrainian tourists flew to Vilnius on a Smartwings flight and the remaining tourists had flown on previous days. The tourists who flew to Vilnius were given the option of remaining temporarily in Lithuania (with local support for accommodation and food) or of traveling to the Polish border with Ukraine (Lublin), where Polish support would be available for them and for their relatives who were still trying to flee Ukraine.

About 70 Ukrainian tourists were still in the Region, 36 of whom were staying in hotels with the support of the Regional Government, while the remaining tourists were staying in their own accommodation and were in regular contact with the local authorities. The Regional Government have been in regular contact with airlines with scheduled flights from Madeira to Ukraine’s neighbouring countries and with tourism operators, in order to help them return safely to their loved ones. 

By that same day, 5 Ukrainian families had already shown an interest in remaining in Madeira and had been considering applying for refugee status. 

As for the 220 Russian tourists who had arrived in the Region on February 20th, TUI Russia (a tourism operator) had booked a flight to take them home on February 27th. However, the flight had to turn back shortly after taking off as a result of the ban on Russian aircraft in Italy, Germany, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg. Some passengers had even started the check-in process. The Russian tourists were then taken to different hotels. TUI Russia had started operating flights between Moscow and Funchal on February 20th. 

On March 2nd, Miguel Albuquerque (President of the Madeira Regional Government) informed that 189 Ukrainian tourists were still in Madeira, 66 of whom had decided to stay in the Region. He has already met some of them and he appealed for local businesspeople to help them find jobs.  

He also informed there are 328 Ukrainian and 413 Russian residents in the Autonomous Region of Madeira. He stressed they are fully integrated and are always welcome. He said the flights between Madeira and both countries are important for the Region and hopes they can resume as soon as possible. 

On the same day, TUI announced there will be a flight on March 7th to take the Russian tourists back to Russia.

Eduardo Jesus (Madeira’s Tourism and Culture Regional Secretary), praised everyone who has been helping in this challenging process, including associations, tourism operators and the local community.

https://www.jm-madeira.pt/regiao/ver/161371/Turista_ucraniana_na_Madeira_opta_por_adiar_regresso_Nao_tenho_maneira_de_chegar_a_casa

https://www.jm-madeira.pt/regiao/ver/161405/Ucrania_80_dos_189_turistas_ucranianos_retidos_na_Madeira_ja_deixaram_a_regiao

https://www.jm-madeira.pt/regiao/ver/161490/_Turistas_russos_retidos_na_Madeira_permanecem_nos_hoteis

https://tvi24.iol.pt/refugiados/turismo/governo-da-madeira-tenta-ajudar-189-turistas-retidos-na-ucrania/20220228/6218e00b0cf2c7ea0f1b799e

https://www.jm-madeira.pt/regiao/ver/161485/Voo_de_repatriamento_de_turistas_russos_na_Madeira_voltou_para_tras_

https://www.rtp.pt/madeira/politica/66-turistas-ucranianos-vao-ficar-na-regiao-video-_87770

https://eco.sapo.pt/2022/03/02/russia-vai-repatriar-turistas-em-voos-a-partir-da-madeira-e-bulgaria/

Missing Russian citizen found

A Russian citizen who had been lost her way somewhere between Seixal and Porto Moniz was found by rescuers. She was in good health. She had called 112 for help on Monday at around 20h30, after getting lost in the Seixal area. 

https://funchalnoticias.net/2022/03/01/ja-foi-encontrada-e-esta-bem-a-estrangeira-russa-que-estava-perdida-a-norte/

https://www.dnoticias.pt/2022/2/28/299073-mulher-que-pediu-ajuda-ao-112-desaparecida-em-sao-vicente/

Power cut

Empresa de Electricidade da Madeira (Madeira power supplier) announced there will be power cuts due to scheduled work on the electricity supply network. These cannot be postponed and will take place in the following days and places:

FUNCHAL

March 3rd – 09h00 to 11h30 

– Estrada Dr. José Joaquim Freitas (number 2 to 10)

– Estrada Comandante Camacho de Freitas (numbers 691 to 697)

– Rua Dr. José Joaquim Freitas (numbers 5, 11, 19, 21, 23, 27, 33, 35, 48 and 50) 

– Caminho Novo do Galeão (numbers 5 to 10)

– Escadinhas do Galeão (numbers 2 to 9)

– Impasse Novo do Galeão (numbers 2 to 9)

March 3rd – 14h00 to 16h00

– Rua da Saúde (numbers 2E, 10, 12 and 14)

March 3rd – 15h00 to 16h00 

– Rua do Curaçau (number 40)

– Caminho da Levada dos Barreiros (numbers 38 to 58)

– Caminho da Nazaré (numbers 12 to 39)

March 3rd – 23h00 to 24h00

March 4th – 00h00 to 03h00 

– Rua 31 de Janeiro

March 4th – 00h00 to 03h00 

– Rua da Alfândega (number 147)

– Rua dos Tanoeiros (number 34 to 60) 

– Rua 5 de Outubro (numbers 4 to 28)

– Travessa dos Açourgues (number 5) 

– Travessa da Praça (number 3)

– Beco do Pimenta (number 8) 

– Rampa Cidrão (numbers 2, 3, 5, 10 and 14)

– Largo da Praça (numbers 2 to 10)

March 4th – 09h00 to 11h30

– Estrada Cónego Camacho de Freitas

However, power could be restored during the time frame mentioned above. So, for safety purposes, it should be assumed that there will be power at any time during this period of time.  

If necessary, customers can contact the free Customer Support Service number (Serviço de Apoio ao Cliente): 800 221 187.

https://funchalnoticias.net/2022/03/01/ir-para-conteudo-1a-pagina-politica-sociedade-forum-artes-desporto-estepilha-pensar-a-lingua-simplificador-imagem-entretenimento-video-youtube/

 

Portugal Situation Report Wednesday 2nd March 2022

Introduction

Good morning – Yesterday was International Civil Protection Day – In Portugal and around the world, the celebration of the date has the purpose of raising the various countries to the importance of civil protection, paying tribute to all civil protection agents and promoting reflection and dialogue around the risks that we take and the role that each of us, citizens, plays in the collective effort to create disaster-resistant communities.

According to the International Organization for Civil Protection, the theme of the International Civil Protection Day of 2022 is “Civil Defence and Management of Disrupted Populations in Face of Disasters and Crises; Role of Volunteers and the Fight Against pandemics

On February 28, 1969 Portugal was affected by an earthquake which was felt throughout the country, northern Morocco and part of Spain. The magnitude of the earthquake was 7.3 on the Richter scale. The earthquake lasted about four minutes and the biggest impact was felt in the Algarve, with the epicentre recorded 80 kms southwest of Sagres.

The south, namely the Algarve, and the Lisbon region were the areas most affected by earthquake, which was also felt in Spain and Morocco. Thirteen people died, two as a direct result of the quake and 11 indirectly and several dozen were injured.

Civil Protection day and this year’s theme therefore reminds us of the risk of earthquakes and action to take, should one occur. Remember “DROP, COVER, HOLD” See our page here:  https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/find-information/environment-and-weather/earthquake-tsunami/

A Reminder that from yesterday and until the end of March, each citizen will be entitled to two free rapid antigen tests (TRAg), after the Government has halved the four monthly tests they participated in.

In the amendment published on Monday, in Diário da República, to the ordinance that establishes the exceptional and temporary regime for the reimbursement of rapid antigen tests for professional use, the Government justifies this decision with the evolution of the epidemiological situation in Portugal.

The President of the Republic declared yesterday Tuesday his support for the “We Help Ukraine” platform and praised the solidarity effort of the Portuguese. The global platform www.wehelpukraine.org is intended to “connect people in need of help in Ukraine, or on the run, with people and organizations that can provide support”, say its promoters.

“The project started in Portugal on 27th of February and has already mobilized thousands of people and organizations to make available and manage the platform, which is a meeting point between those who need accommodation, medicines or job offers, with those who are available to give these aids”, says the note. A “contact centre” is available in English, Portuguese and Ukrainian for telephone, e-mail, instant messaging, videoconferencing and other communication channels.

Please have a Safe Day

 

Covid-19

COVID -19 DGS Situation Report

Confirmed: 3,273,624 (+11,006 / +0.34%)

Admitted to hospital: 1,358 (-120 / -8.12%)

Admitted to ICU: 96 (-6 / -5.88%)

Deaths: 21,086 (+23 / +0.11%)

Recovered: 2,787,126 (+1752 / +0.06%)

Active cases: 465,412 (+9231 / +2%)

TRENDS

Higher number of new cases but less than last week’s daily average.

A large decrease in hospitalisations after yesterday’s moderate increase.

Number in ICU decreases to below 100 last time there less than 100 patients in ICU was November 23rd, 2021.

Deaths one less than yesterday and below last weeks’ daily average (29)

A large increase in active cases due again to the fairly low number of recoveries.

 

Health

President to present SNS with Highest national Honorary Order

Lisbon, March 01, 2022 (Lusa) – The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, will award the National Health Service (SNS) on Wednesday with the highest national Honorary Order due to the acts and services provided, in particular during the covid-19 pandemic.

According to the official website of the Presidency of the Republic, this SNS decoration as an Honorary Member of the former Military Order of Valour, Loyalty and Merit will take place on Wednesday, the day that marks the second anniversary of the first case of covid-19 registered in Portugal.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa highlights the “exceptional acts and services provided, in particular during the pandemic to Portugal, the Portuguese and other citizens” by the SNS and the “abnegation and sacrifice” of its health professionals.

Covid-19 killed more than 21,000 people in Portugal in two years, infected more than three million, and led to 35 million tests, and the administration of 22 million vaccines to almost nine million Portuguese.

In two years, Portugal had several days without registering deaths due to the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, but it also had 300 deaths in a single day.

With more or less infections or deaths, Portugal has gone through five waves of pandemic and has never had, in the last two years, a single day without infections by the new coronavirus.

Covid-19: Each citizen will have only two free tests until the end of this month

From yesterday and until the end of March, each citizen will be entitled to two free rapid antigen tests (TRAg), after the Government has halved the four monthly tests they participated in.

In the amendment published on Monday, in Diário da República, to the ordinance that establishes the exceptional and temporary regime for the reimbursement of rapid antigen tests for professional use, the Government justifies this decision with the evolution of the epidemiological situation in Portugal.

“The epidemiological situation caused by the covid-19 disease pandemic has seen a positive evolution in Portugal. The number of new daily cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as the number of citizens hospitalized, including those in intensive care, has also been reduced, largely thanks to the protection afforded by the high vaccination rate that is seen in our country”, says.

 

DGS in solidarity with Ukrainian population

In the current context of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, the Directorate-General for Health, through the National Program for the Prevention of Violence in the Life Cycle, shows solidarity with the Ukrainian population and reinforces the role of Health and the entire community in promoting human rights, prevention of violence and discrimination against migrants and refugees, in a matter that is everyone’s responsibility.

As part of the International Day of Zero Discrimination, created by the UN, governments and civil society organizations are called upon to develop efforts to promote equality, inclusion and protection. Refugee population flows can represent risk contexts for possible situations related to human trafficking.

The Russian invasion could leave Ukrainians surrounded by another enemy: an uncontrollable increase in Covid-19 cases

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began at dawn last Thursday, surprised by the speed with which it arrived and surrounded the main cities. This meant that the inhabitants of large urban centers had to abandon their homes, causing a large migratory flow within the country, or, for lack of an escape route, they were forced to entrench themselves in improvised and overcrowded shelters. In addition to the visible threat, populations were thus also besieged by a silent invader: covid-19.

Health authorities are reporting, on average, 26,000 new infections per day and the incidence is at 63 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. At first glance, these do not seem alarming numbers for a country with 44 million inhabitants, but that changes if you take into account that only a third of Ukrainians are fully vaccinated against covid-19 – well below the 99% of soldiers who completed the vaccination schedule.

In addition, the Russian invader itself can be a focus of transmission, since Russia, despite being one of the first countries to develop a vaccine (Sputnik V), has not yet managed to immunize half of the population.

The war is also being fought over the approval of vaccines, which can have deadly consequences. If on the one hand Ukraine refuses to give the green light to the use of Sputnik V, the Russian Federation also does not authorize the administration of any of the vaccines against covid-19 produced in the West, such as those of Pfizer, Moderna, Janssen or from AstraZeneca.

Other news

Portuguese companies have already placed more than 2 thousand offers for refugees

The platform created to gather job offers from companies for Ukrainian refugees in Portugal has already collected more than two thousand of these offers, said this Tuesday the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security.

The platform was launched this Monday and “at this moment, more than two thousand job offers are already loaded, which shows well the dynamics of the companies that are joining” , said Ana Mendes Godinho, at the end of an extraordinary Council of Ministers .

Ana Mendes Godinho appealed for companies to continue to make their job offers available (which they can do at www.iefp.pt/portugal-for-ukraine), stressing that the Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional (IEFP) has there is currently a ‘task force’ mobilized to ensure the “best possible match” between the qualifications and profile of the Ukrainians arriving in Portugal and the needs of companies.

Merchant Ship of Azores sinks

The merchant ship ‘Felicity Ace’, which caught fire off the Azores on February 16 and was being towed, sank today outside the limit of the Economic and Exclusive Zone of Portugal, revealed the Navy.

“At the site, there are some wreckages and a small patch of oily waste, which is being dispersed by the water jets of the tugboats and which is being monitored by the Directorate for Combating Pollution of the National Maritime Authority and by the European Water Agency. Maritime Security (EMSA)”, he described.

A C-295 aircraft from the Portuguese Air Force is also planned, he added.

The vessel was “at about 25 nautical miles, the equivalent of 46 kilometres”, in an area “whose depth is around 3,000 meters”, the Portuguese Navy said in an information note published on its Facebook page.

“Today, in the early morning, during the tow, which had started on February 24, the ship ‘Felicity Ace’ lost stability, having sunk”, observed the Navy.

The Navy “continues to monitor the situation, namely through the Hydrographic Institute, which keeps updating the drift calculations of the current spot”.

Carnivals 2022

Yesterday marked the Carnival season across many parts of the world. In Portugal due to the pandemic we find that Although most of the 2022 Carnival parades have been cancelled all over the country, there are many municipalities that try to keep the tradition active by looking for alternatives to the traditional Carnival.

You can fully experience the spirit of Carnival in Figueira da Foz, which chose to keep the parades and corsos, or in Macedo dos Cavaleiros, where the Caretos de Podence once again take to the streets.

In the rest of the country, the official parades were cancelled, but several municipalities created alternatives, so you can attend various carnival performances in municipalities such as Loulé, Estarreja, Sines, Sesimbra, and Ovar.

Although most carnivals are not happening the Government has allowed all Public service employees to take today as a special holiday. In previous years they would have taken the opportunity to choose their best Carnival costume and enjoy the free day to dance and celebrate.

Across the world Carnival is still very popular. The most famous of these events has become the Brazilian Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Venetians have long celebrated carnival with a masquerade. The use of the term “carnival” in other contexts derives from this celebration.

In Spain, the Carnival Tuesday is named “día de la tortilla” (“omelette day”): an omelette made with some sausage or pork fat is eaten.

One of the most popular is in Cádiz, in Andalusia, is the carnival of “comparsas”, “coros” and “chirigotas”: songs full of irony and criticism that are written by the different groups who participate in the fiesta. They parade through the city centre, spreading an atmosphere of freedom and fun in a carnival officially declared of International Tourist Interest. This carnival has been postponed until June 2022 due to Covid so there is still time to experience it. You should check with the Spanish Tourist offices for their latest information on carnivals happening this year.

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 2nd March 2022

From our colleague in the Azores

During the last week up until the 1st of March there have been 3,615 new cases of Covid-19 reported.  During the same period, there were 7,232 recoveries.  Sadly, there were also 3 deaths.

Hospitalisations:

As of yesterday, there were 33 patients hospitalised, 21 of them at the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital on the island of São Miguel (two in intensive care), seven at the Santo Espírito Hospital of Terceira Island and five at the Horta Hospital.

Current situation: The archipelago currently registers 3,920 active positive cases: 2,478 on the island of São Miguel, 642 on the island of Terceira, 298 on the island of Pico, 213 on the island of Faial, 104 on the island of São Jorge, 110 on the island of Graciosa, 45 on the island of Flores, 19 on the island of Corvo and 11 on the island of Santa Maria.

President of the Government of the Azores infected, but asymptomatic 

The president of the Regional Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, is infected with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes the Covid-19 disease, but is asymptomatic.

He immediately cancelled his public agenda for the next few days to work remotely during this period.

Azores with “open arms” to welcome family members of immigrants 

The President of the Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, appealed for peace in Ukraine and guaranteed that the region has “open arms” to receive family members of Ukrainian immigrants.

“We have a Ukrainian community in the Azores, which, if they understand being able to welcome and receive their relatives here, will be with open arms that the Autonomous Region of the Azores will welcome Ukrainians who decide to come looking for peace in the Azores”, said the chief executive. Azorean, in statements to journalists, in Ponta Delgada, while he was meeting with the operational commander of the Azores, Lieutenant General Luís Morgado Baptista.

Azores estimate to spend this year around 10 ME on health facilities 

The Government of the Azores expects to spend, this year about 10 million euros in health facilities that urgently needed interventions.

4.4 magnitude earthquake felt on the island of São Miguel 

An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale and epicentre 57 kilometres east-southeast of Água Retorta, on the island of São Miguel, Azores, was felt this Friday in several parishes in the municipality of Povoação.

 

Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 2nd March 2022

First Ukrainian Refugees Travel to Algarve in coming days

The first Ukrainian refugees should arrive in the Algarve in the coming days on a bus that will leave for Poland “within a day or two», with the aim of «collecting refugees who really want to come here to the Algarve”, Igor told Sul Info. Korbeliak, president of the Association of Ukrainians in the Algarve.

The association representing Ukrainians living in the Algarve region has been “working with city councils and the High Commissioner for Migration in order to arrange documentation”.

“Europe and Poland are making it very easy and allowing people to cross the border, even without the necessary documentation in normal times”, revealed Igor Korbeliak.

“For now, most of the people who will come have family members here or know someone here. Portugal is quite far from Ukraine and people try to find a place in the closest countries”, she added.

In other words, what will work is the family network and close relationships, which means that many of these people will have a place to stay.

Even so, the association is “studying and working on housing issues. We are making a list of people and it depends a lot on how many people come per family, if there are children… we are going to work in this direction”.

“Right now, as far as I know, there are still only cases in which it is the family network that is responding or that is going to Poland or Romania to bring the family”, revealed, for his part, Armindo Vicente, president of the Secretariat of the Misericórdias do Algarve.

The União das Misericórdias Portuguesas (UMP) has already started to survey the response capacity of its members, a work that began “even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine”, after a challenge launched by the minister Ana Mendes Godinho. “União de Misericórdias manages refugee centers and has equipment that can receive people. In the case of refugee centres, they are prepared to receive people for a longer period of time.

The Algarve Hotel and Tourism School, in Faro, organizes the seventh edition of the Tourism Trade Show, on March 3rd.

The Algarve Hotel and Tourism School, in Faro, organizes the seventh edition of the Tourism Trade Show, on the 3rd of March, an event that brings together the main hotel and restaurant companies in the region with the aim of making known the opportunities of the sector to the 107 finalist students, and which has the presence of the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rita Marques, in the opening session.

This year the Tourism Trade Show has 40 companies that will be present in a new format: physical and virtual. In addition to the exhibitors, workshops and activities related to the most relevant skills for the current tourism professional take place in parallel, such as Customer Service, Leadership, Motivation, Talent and Self-knowledge. Highlight for the activity “Theatre of the Oppressed” in which students, through a dramatization, will find solutions to uncomfortable situations in the day-to-day of a professional in the hotel and restaurant industry.

The Tourism Trade Show Algarve came about through the hands of our Tourism Management final year students who, within the scope of the Event Organization discipline, proposed the realization of this initiative that promotes the approximation between companies, the tourism sector and our students. There was a need to bring entrepreneurs and agents from the region to the school to get to know the environment and the surroundings of our school and students», says Paula Vicente, director of EHTA.

Minister of Territorial Cohesion present at the signing of the cross-border cooperation protocol of the “Alentejo-Algarve-Andalusia Euroregion”

The Regional Coordination and Development Commissions (CCDR) of the Algarve and Alentejo regions and the Junta de Andalusia sign this Wednesday, March 2, the Cross-Border Cooperation Protocol of the Working Community “Euroregion Alentejo-Algarve-Andalusia» ( EuroAAA), in the presence of the Minister of Territorial Cohesion, Ana Abrunhosa, at CCDR – Algarve in Faro.

The terms of the new Cross-Border Cooperation Protocol, which will replace the now extinct Algarve-Andalusia and Alentejo-Andalusia Cross-Border Cooperation agreements, were approved by the Secretary of State for Territorial Enhancement on 28 January.

The following day, March 3, at 9:20 am, the presidents of the CCDR Algarve and Alentejo and the Junta de Andalusia visit the Regional Centre for Emergency and Civil Protection of the Algarve and the Permanent Service Helicopter Base of Loulé, in the context of the CILIFO project. – Iberian Centre for Research and Fight against Forest Fires, a project developed in the territory of EuroAAA and co-financed under the INTERREG ESPAÑA PORTUGAL Cross-border Cooperation Program (POCTEP 2014 – 2020).

Monchique marks this year’s sausage fair exclusively on-line

This year the Enchidos Fair will be held exclusively online.

Although the pandemic situation is controllable and the trend is for a return to normality, the municipal executive understood that the fair would not yet take place physically due to the need for its prior preparation.

However, not to forget to mark the date, the event will be celebrated during the next March 5th, from 10:00 am, online and exclusively on social networks (facebook, youtube and instagram) of the municipality and parishes of the municipality, with live broadcasts at 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm and 6:00 pm.

In addition to sausages, gastronomy, handicrafts, sweets, arbutus, bread and honey, other products will have a prominent place, in an initiative that praises the producers and the entire economic, social and cultural fabric of the county, highlights the Municipality in a press release.

 

The Overseas Situation Report Tuesday 1 March 2022

by Mike Evans

“We have an unprecedented opportunity to change the narrative in our country away from divisiveness towards shared hope” 

Dr. Susan Hillis, Senior Research Officer, Oxford University

As the world’s attention is now focused on the attack on Ukraine by Russian forces you could be forgiven to think that the pandemic has gone away. True, the number of cases is dropping across the world. In the past week there has been a drop of 16% in new reported cases and a drop of 18% in deaths across the world.

However, there were still around 10.6 million new cases reported across the world in the past week, so it is not going away anytime soon.

While the situation in Ukraine is taking all the headlines there are still many stories around covid which have left an impact on so many people around the world. One such issue is something we have written about before but the latest research from the Lancet shows a much bigger impact than first thought. We are talking about how children have been affected by losing a parent or caregiver to the virus.

Approximately 5.2 million children have lost a parent or caregiver during the pandemic, according to a new study published in The Lancet medical journal recently.

An analysis by the same team of researchers in July 2021 had estimated 1.5 million children were orphaned during the first 14-months of the pandemic, meaning they lost at least one parent. But with new variants and a rising death count, the researchers said they felt compelled to re-evaluate the analysis.

Between May 2021 and October 2021, deaths globally nearly doubled compared to the months prior, a jump attributed predominantly to the Delta variant. This new study estimates that approximately 5.2 million children are experiencing COVID-related orphanhood.

“What we found was shocking,” said Dr. Susan Hillis, the study’s lead author and a senior research officer at Oxford University, who completed this work while at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

The number of children who lost at least one parent at the end of the first 20-months of the pandemic was greater than the total number of COVID deaths, and this gap is increasing, according to the study.

Children aged 10 through 17 were more likely to have lost a parent, with 2.1 million children affected. Still, over 490,000 children between ages 0 and 4, and 750,000 children between ages 5 and 10 lost a parent or caregiver.

Among all children, 3 out of every 4 lost a father, which is even more significant in low-income countries where the father is more likely to be the primary earner.

“COVID-related orphanhood does not come in waves,” Hillis said. “It is a steadily rising slope with the summit still out of our sight.” Although many may recover from an infection, losing a parent is not something that can be easily recovered from, she said.

“These are 5 million kids in one generation that will be living the rest of their lives in a very different way, and this affects us all,” said Dr. Natasha Burgert, a paediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Paediatrics. Burgert was not involved with the study.

As part of their work, Hillis and her team said they developed a real-time calculator to predict loss of parent or caregiver by current mortality data for every country in the world. By the end of January 2022, the estimate had risen to 6.7 million children worldwide affected by COVID orphanhood, according to the research. In the United States, the researchers estimate over 149,000 children have lost a parent or caregiver.

However, despite these staggering numbers, Hillis says there is hope.

For the last 20 years, the U.S. government has been investing in evidence-based programs to ensure orphaned and highly vulnerable children affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic could be protected and supported to reach their potential, the researchers noted.

“We actually know the models that work,” Hillis says. “We have an opportunity to lead by example.”

Experts say these findings underscore the importance of vaccinating adults across the globe. “Vaccines are keeping people alive in the face of this terrible virus and keeping families whole,” says Burgert.

While authors continue to call for equitable access to vaccines and treatment globally, the millions of children already orphaned still need support, they said.

“We need to be supporting our childcare centres, local schools and larger university systems with the resources needed to create a cushion of support and a safe place for social-emotional learning,” says Burgert. “Educators, counsellors, administrators, physicians and legislators need to be preparing for the upcoming impact, and they will need everyone’s help.”

The CDC, WHO and many top experts around the world have agreed to the importance of adding an additional pillar to the world-wide COVID response: Caring for and protecting these children.

There is currently no governmental funding in the United States aimed at acknowledging and protecting these children in their hidden pandemic, the researchers noted.

“We have an unprecedented opportunity to change the narrative in our country away from divisiveness towards shared hope,” says Hillis. “It is a moral imperative for us to do what we know works to help the ones at home and to encourage every country in the world to do the same.”

Within the same report some interesting facts were detailed. Peru had the highest rate of orphanhood cases per capita with eight out of every 1,000 children affected followed by South Africa.

In Peru the covid 19 virus killed at least one parent or primary caregiver for nearly 100,000 children in Peru, the country with the world’s highest coronavirus death rate. “Unfortunately, our country has almost 98,000 children who lost their father, mother or guardian during the pandemic,” said Peru’s Minister of Women Anahi Durand, citing figures published in the medical journal The Lancet. Peru leads the world in overall Covid deaths per capita, with more than 6,000 Peruvians per million having died from the disease, according to an AFP analysis of official figures.

In all 20 countries studied, children were more than three times more likely to have lost a father than a mother. The report also suggested that older children were affected more than younger children, with adolescents aged 10-17 accounting for almost two out of three children who lost a parent to COVID-19.

In California, A bill introduced in the California Legislature last month seeks to give children who are in this situation some hope for a better future, and one children welfare policy expert told ABC News this legislation could serve as a blueprint for the rest of the country. Under California state Sen. Nancy Skinner’s Hope, Opportunity, Perseverance, and Empowerment (HOPE) for Children Act, children who lost a parent or caregiver to COVID-19 and are in the state’s foster care system or a low-income household would be eligible for a state-funded trust fund.

Speaking in an interview with the broadcaster ABC News, Skinner said there is a great need for this program since data has shown a large number of COVID-19 orphans were of low-income families who didn’t have options such as life insurance to provide for their loved ones after they died.

“Those children would be in an especially vulnerable situation when they’re adults and on their own,” she said. Over 200,000 Americans under 18 have lost a parent or adult caregiver to COVID-19, according to research released by the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, up from 140,000 in October.

Skinner’s office estimates that 20,000 Californian children have lost their parents or caregiver to the virus so far. They are working to ascertain exactly how many of those children are in the California foster system.

If the bill passes, the state will make an initial deposit of $4,000 for eligible children under 10 and $8,000 for eligible children over 10. Annual deposits would continue with an amount that will be later determined, and the state would handle the investment options, according to the bill’s current language.

Once the eligible children turn 18 or 21, depending on their status in the foster care system, they would be able to withdraw the funds from the HOPE account.

“The money wouldn’t be available to them now, but the very presence would ensure that they have some financial wellness when they are adults,” Skinner said.

Skinner said her office is still determining the income thresholds for eligible COVID-19 orphans not in the foster care system, though she is considering using the same income requirements used for MediCal, the state’s Medicaid system.

She noted that data shows the majority of the state’s COVID-19 orphans are children of colour.The program will be paid for using taxpayer money already in the state budget and would not seek tax increases, Skinner said.

The bill also seeks to create a California survivor benefit program that would create a cash benefit for minors who aren’t eligible for other forms of financial assistance, such as Social Security, when their parent or caregiver dies.

AS we begin to see the end of this pandemic, we should all be mindful that for many the memories will never go away of losing loved ones.

Until the next time stay safe.

Total Cases Worldwide – 436,400,525

Total Deaths Worldwide – 5,970,270

Total Recovered Worldwide – 367,091,218 

Total Active Cases Worldwide – 63,339,037 (14.5 % of the total cases) 

Total Closed Cases Worldwide – 373,061,488

Information and Resources:

https://www.worldometer.info/coronavirus/

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/weekly-trends/#countries

https://www.thelancet.com/

 

Madeira Situation Report Wednesday 23 February 2022 

By Daniel Fernandes

Brief Covid-19 update

Since the start of February, updates on the Covid-19 situation will be published monthly. However, hospitalisation information, such as the number of hospital admissions, admissions to Covid-19 Units and Covid-19 Intensive Care Units, will be issued daily by the Madeira Health Service.

By Monday, there had been 70 patients in hospital (19 non-vaccinated, 2 vaccinated with one vaccine dose, 27 fully vaccinated, 21 vaccinated with a booster shot), 1 of whom in intensive care (1 vaccinated with a booster shot).

There were 11 deaths in the last 7 days. There have now been a total of 199 deaths.

https://covidmadeira.pt/novas-regras-sanitarias-a-partir-do-dia-1-de-fevereiro-na-ram/

https://funchalnoticias.net/2022/02/22/morreu-mais-uma-pessoa-com-covid-19-2/

Flight disruptions due to bad weather

A total of 6 flights were cancelled and 40 flights were diverted or delayed as a result of strong winds that had hit Funchal Airport. Flights were diverted to Faro, Las Palmas, Lisbon, Porto Santo and Tenerife. Two aircraft had to stay overnight in Porto Santo. More than 7,500 passengers were affected by these flight disruptions. Strong winds had been affecting flights to Funchal for over 4 days. It is hoped that the weather will have improved by the end of the day and that all affected travellers will be able to travel.

https://www.jm-madeira.pt/regiao/ver/160693/Mais_de_7500_passageiros_afetados_hoje_pelo_vento_forte_no_aeroporto_da_Madeira

Drivers caught using mobile phones 

A Police operation called “Ao Volante, o Telemóvel Pode Esperar” (While at the Wheel, The Mobile Phone Can Wait) took place between February 15th and 21st throughout the country. Its aim was to fight the use of mobile phones while driving, which is a behaviour that has a negative effect on the drivers’ performance and may result in crashes, collisions and in pedestrians being hit.

As for the Autonomous Region of Madeira, 1,101 vehicles were stopped and monitored, 98 fines were issued, 16 fines were issued for the use of mobile phone while driving, 7 vehicles were seized, 16 driving licences were seized, 11 drivers were found to be drunk-driving, and 10 drivers were fined for speeding. 

https://www.jm-madeira.pt/regiao/ver/160706/Apanhados_16_ao_telemovel_durante_a_conducao