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Portugal Situation Report Wednesday 17th November 2021
Introduction
Good morning – At the weekend, in these first weeks of November, when many people are already shopping for Christmas, it is easy to forget that there is a highly contagious virus that continues to infect hundreds of people every day in Portugal and thousands in several European countries.
As my colleague Mike Evans states in his overseas report yesterday, the past week has seen a rise in infections across many parts of the world. Leading this rise is Europe where we are seeing large increases in new infections across many countries with some bringing back lock down restrictions in the hope of keeping the rates low enough to allow citizens to enjoy the Christmas celebrations.
As far as Portugal is concerned although the number of infections has increased the number of hospitalisations, those in ICU and deaths has so far not seen the dramatic rises as many other countries. Much of this is due to the high levels of vaccinations administered. It is important that all those eligible for their booster and flu jabs do so as soon as possible. The self- scheduling for those 70 and over can be made through the link here.
A meeting at Infarmed will be held this Friday to examine the current situation concerning Covid-19 in Portugal, as well as trends overseas. This is the first meeting since September. This an important and timely meeting to present information and analysis which will enable the Government to determine whether there is a need for measures to be introduced in the lead up to and over the festive season.
Yesterday the Prime Minister António Costa stated “will not hesitate, as we have not hesitated in the past, to take the necessary measures to protect the health and lives of the Portuguese”, when answering a question from a journalist, who questioned the prime minister about the possibility of applying new restrictions, given the increase in covid-19 cases in the country. Tuesday that “it is not foreseeable that measures will be taken again on the scale that we had in the past”, thanks to the vaccination against covid-19, but that “we cannot ignore the signs”: “The later we act, the greater the risks”, he concluded. We wait and see.
An item that drew my attention yesterday was concerning the forecasting of earthquakes. Unlike the sky, the Earth’s interior is not transparent. And that’s why a seismologist like Fernando Carrilho faces very different challenges from colleagues from other departments at the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA), who can relate the previous day’s forecasts to the clouds they see on the horizon. “There are earthquakes originating from depths of 10, 20, and 100 kms or more… and the existing technologies do not allow us to know what is happening in these places”, according to the head of the Geophysics Division at IPMA.
Clearly any pre-warning of earthquakes occurring, could allow time for public announcements to be made and potentially therefore save lives. This very interesting article and what could be done using new technology can be downloaded in English here.
We once again remind people to take care when going for a swim or venturing into the sea at this time of the year, when there are no lifeguards at beaches. A case on Monday when two women aged 83 and 56 (mother and daughter) were swept into the sea by a large wave, whilst paddling in the sea near Praia de Mira. Thankfully an off duty fire fighter, who visited the area to take photographs of sunsets saw their plight and dived into the sea and rescued them.
We remind people living in rural areas, that apart from general land cleaning around your house to protect against rural fires, now is a good time to consider other measures to limit the risk to your property. A survey undertaken of properties destroyed during the Pedrógão Grande fire in 2017 found that the most common way fires entered properties was through the roof, in about 60% of all instances. For those living in older properties, therefore, which may have traditional tiled roofs that have been in place for many years, it makes sense to start in this area. Often vegetation, including leaves accumulate in these roofs and can catch fire either through burned leaves or embers carried by the wind that settle on roof tops. Some of burned leaves and small branches can travel considerable distances in worst case situations when the wind is high.
At the same time examine guttering. Now is a good time as blocked gutters restrict water flow in what is traditionally the wettest time of the year.
With that please have a Safe Day.
Covid-19 Situation 16th November
Confirmed Cases: 1.110.155 (+ 1693 / + 0.15 %)
Number of admitted: 486 (+ 16 / + 3.40 %)
Number of ICU admitted: 80 (+ 4 / + 5.26 %)
Deaths: 18,274 (+ 9 / + 0.05 %)
Recovered: 1.053.609 (+ 1770 / + 0.17 %)
Active cases: 38,272 (-86 / -0.22%)
Trends
A small but welcome decrease in active cases after several days of increases. A growing trend is also visible in daily new cases if we recall that eight days ago, on 9 November, 1182 cases had been registered, 511 fewer than today. The number of deaths, nine, is similar to that of recent days, with the exception of Sunday, when 15 people died of the disease. The nine deaths were registered in the Centre (three), in Lisbon and Vale do Tejo (three), in the Algarve (one) and in Madeira (two). According to the DGS, the fatal victims are aged between 50 and 59 years (two), from 70 to 79 years (one) and the elderly aged 80 or over (six).
Health
Vaccines
Vaccines that block transmission of the new coronavirus ready by 2022
Second-generation vaccines that already allow blocking the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 should arrive within the next year.
According to Manuel Santos Rosa, immunologist and full professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Coimbra, only blocking vaccines can save time and win the battle against covid-19.
In an interview with Diário de Notícias , Manuel Santos Rosa says that these new vaccines are already at an advanced stage of development in the United States but also in Europe, namely in Germany and the United Kingdom. New vaccines based on micro-spikes that work as a kind of adhesive seal and which will already have the ability to block the transmission of the disease will also be effective in enhancing cellular immunity.
Covid-19: Public health doctors warn you can’t let your guard down
Lisbon, 16 Nov 2021 (Lusa) – The president of the Association of Public Health Doctors today considered that it was “virtually impossible” to repeat the pandemic situation experienced at the beginning of the year due to the high vaccination coverage, but warned that “it is not to let your guard down.”
Speaking to Lusa news agency about the epidemiological situation in Portugal, Ricardo Mexia stated that the increase in the number of covid-19 cases “was predictable” as a result of the winter and the resumption of a set of activities. “Fortunately this increase is mainly at the expense of the incidence, the number of new cases. Regarding mortality and severity (demand for health care and hospitalization), despite everything, they are not growing as fast as the incidence, which is also to be expected as a result of the high vaccination coverage of the population”, he said.
According to the public health doctor and epidemiologist, vaccination coverage and the “better knowledge” of the disease allow for “some confidence” in relation to what is happening.
“But it is not to let our guard down and reach a situation as we had in January and February this year, which seems virtually impossible to repeat, given the vaccination coverage we have, but which on a smaller scale may still have an important impact both on the demand for health care and on mortality”, he warned.
To stop the increase in cases, he defended several measures such as accelerating the pace of vaccination of the “most vulnerable”. On the other hand, people have to realize that the pandemic is not over: “Although we have resumed almost all of our normal activities, in fact, the situation is not resolved”. It is necessary to continue to maintain some precautions, such as avoiding large agglomerations of people, particularly in closed spaces, using the mask “as long as possible” and continuing to sanitize hands, measures that allow to “reduce the risk significantly”.
Covid-19: Portugal registers more deaths and fewer births in 2020
Last year, mortality increased more than 10% and births dropped 2.5% compared to 2019, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics.
The birth of close to 86,500 babies last year reveals a 2.5% drop in births compared to 2019. The Algarve and the Lisbon Metropolitan Area were the regions where there were more births.
The natural balance, that is, the difference between birth and mortality, was aggravated by the pandemic.
Last year, more than 11,565 people died, most of them over 85 years of age. In the unusual year, marked by confinement and many restrictions, the number of marriages dropped by more than 40%. Divorces also declined last year, with less than 17,300.
Average life expectancy was estimated at 84 years for women and 78 years for men.
Incidence of pancreatic cancer is increasing and being detected in more young people
A cancer that “was rare”, is becoming “more frequent” and has registered a “30% increase” in the last decade.
The incidence of pancreatic cancer has increased and is being detected in a population younger than usual, Ricardo Rio Tinto, president of the Clube Português do Pancreas (CPP), told Lusa. Pancreatic cancer, a disease that mainly affects people aged 70 or over, has increased significantly in patients between 40 and 50 years of age and also in those in their 30s.
“Not only has the global incidence increased significantly, as there has been a shift in diagnosis to younger ages”, the president of the CPP, section of the Portuguese Society of Gastroenterology, told Lusa, on the occasion of World Pancreas Day, marked on 18 from November.
A cancer that “was rare”, is becoming “more frequent” and has registered a “30% increase” in the last decade, a period during which it went from 1,200 to 1,300 cases annually to “close to 1,800 cases, and it could be more”, according to Ricardo Rio Tinto.
Smoking and alcoholism continue to be risk factors, as does family history, but the doctor who chairs the CPP underlined that there is evidence that changes in the pattern of pancreatic cancer are related to “environmental factors”, such as exposure to “carcinogenic substances”, from fertilizers and pesticides to plastic components, although “the molecular aspects that lead to the appearance of the tumour” have not yet been determined.
Travel
TAP has not been offering meals on board in medium-haul economy class for over a year. Measure will have come to stay
Flying to Milan, London or Berlin on TAP no longer entitles you to a sandwich or a pastel de nata and a drink in economy class. For more than a year, the Portuguese air carrier stopped offering light meals, snacks or snacks and drinks free of charge in economy class on medium-haul trips.
The changes in TAP’s on-board service began to affect the management of the American private shareholder, David Neleeman, with on-board meal offers being more frugal and replaced by paid service, as usual in companies low cost, low cost calls.
With the pandemic, TAP put an end to complimentary snacks and drinks and now the only thing it offers on medium-course economy class is a glass of water. The rest is paid. The carrier clarifies that it is following a general trend in the industry, even practiced by the former flag companies. “TAP has adopted this practice [on board sales service (On-board Retail)] for over a year, which has become widespread in the industry, which brings not only a wider range of choices, but also a reduction in food waste,” he explained to Express the company’s official source.
The menus available on board, explains TAP, “were designed around the passengers’ most frequent preferences and requests”. There are sandwiches, mixed toast and hamburgers. TAP also clarifies that the in-flight sales service is available on European flights from Lisbon, except for Porto, Faro, Madrid, Malaga and Seville, and on connections to North Africa and Cape Verde. On these seven flights, TAP does not have any type of service on board for economy classes.
The 37 migrants rescued on Thursday by the Navy in international waters, south of the Algarve, are not involved in any illicit or criminal activity and have asked for international protection, indicated the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF).
In a statement, the AT explained that the seizure took place on 12 November at the customs point at Faro airport and that the cocaine was being transported inside luggage that accompanied a traveller from Brazil.
It is the first time the rate has surpassed 300 since the pandemic began and comes just one week after an unprecedented jump to over 200.
Meanwhile their close neighbour Austria has imposed a lockdown on non vaccinated citizens.Anyone over the age of 12 who has not been double-jabbed is now only allowed to leave their homes for work, school, exercise and buying essential supplies – with the lockdown affecting about two million of Austria’s 8.9 million population. The revised restrictions came into force on Sunday at midnight and will remain for 10 days before being reviewed.
Gatherings at home would be limited to a maximum of four guests, all amateur and professional sporting events must be held behind closed doors, and home working was advised except in “absolutely unavoidable” circumstances, Rutte said.“We must reduce the number of contacts and infections as fast as possible,” Rutte said, calling the measures “unavoidable”. The healthcare system was already under such heavy pressure that knee, hip and even heart operations were being postponed.
Meanwhile across the Atlantic Ocean to South America where the rate of infection had been falling after the region was one of the worst hit at the start of the pandemic. Cases have been rising steadily in the past week with a 13% increase in infections recorded across the continent. Brazil saw an increase of 11% in new cases in the past week and there were also big increases from Chile, Columbia and Peru, although it must be noted that the actual numbers are by far smaller than we saw at the start of the pandemic for these three nations.
Yesterday the USA finally opened their borders for Europeans and other countries citizens to travel to the US as long as they are fully vaccinated. The order signed by President Biden says, “Vaccination requirements are essential to advance the safe resumption of international travel to the United States,” the order says. “These policies aim to limit the risk that Covid-19, including variants of the virus that causes Covid-19, is introduced, transmitted and spread into and throughout the United States.”
Coronavirus infections in the Netherlands have been rising for a month after most social distancing measures were scrapped in late September, and reached their highest level since July in the past week. This has forced many hospitals to cut back on regular care again, to make room for urgent COVID-19 cases.
In the UK where they are finally seeing a drop in new cases, new research has shown that unvaccinated people are 32 times more likely to die from coronavirus than those who have been double-jabbed, according to the figures from the Office for National Statistics.
In the USA, There is a lot of resistance against the Vaccine mandate brought in by President Biden in September. In the mandate, it compelled public and private employees to get the coronavirus vaccine, requiring the majority of federal workers and contractors to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by Dec. 8, having completed either a one or two-dose vaccine regiment at least two weeks before the deadline. The requirements also direct the Labor Department to compel private sector companies with more than 100 employees to ensure workers get vaccinated or face weekly testing before going to work, which would affect around 80 million employees.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called the requirement an “assault on private businesses,” while Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts called it a “stunning violation of personal freedom and abuse of the federal government’s power.” South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem tweeted that her state will “stand up to defend freedom,” telling Biden, “see you in court.” And Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said the group will sue the Biden administration “to protect Americans and their liberties.” But more employees are in favor of vaccine mandates than opposed. According to a recent Gallup poll, 56% of employees would support their employer imposing a vaccine mandate in the workplace, up from 46% in May.
The Minister of Internal Administration said yesterday that it was thanks to the initial muscular and effective intervention in the vast majority of cases, of the Fire Department, of the heli-transported teams of the Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR) and of the Sapadores Florestais teams, that in more than 80% of the recorded occurrences, the burned area was contained to less than 1 hectare.
Well we had a taste of some bad weather recently with 5 days of rain in most areas of the mainland. The emergency services were out and about attending to over 1300 occurrences during this period. There were plenty of warnings beforehand and I hope that everyone took heed of these. However, some clearly did not do so and we saw from photos and reports of the number of cars damaged by fallen trees. The winter season officially starts at the end of this month and we can expect further rain and winds as is normal during this period.
Given our remit of safety and security, inevitably we have to sometimes deal with, and communicate, difficult and challenging topic, which do not always make happy reading. We are conscious of this and therefore, we try to balance this with positive and good news, which is important during challenging times. Some examples in the last two days were our posts concerning: the “Portuguese tradition to ask for Pão Por Deus”, and “Big wave surfing at Nazaré”, which have so far reached around 26,400 and 33,600 respectively, as well as the “1755 Tsunami Simulation post, with an engagement of nearly 3,000 reach over 17,000 so far”.
Lisbon, Nov 02, 2021 (Lusa) – The free and unlimited testing plan for covid-19 in Lisbon was extended until the end of the year, the City Council announced today, recalling that the program is open to the entire population, whether or not resident in the capital.
As long as the emergency plan is activated, the Paços do Concelho building is closed, with the suspension of face-to-face service, which will be carried out exclusively by telephone and digital means.
This “was not a strike associated with the visit of any minister to parliament, it was intended to convey to the Government and the country that public administration workers do not conform with the devaluation they have been subjected to nor with the degradation of public services that it was not started by the current Government, but continued by it”, said Mário Nogueira, at a press conference held this afternoon, after a meeting of the Fenprof secretariat that took place in the morning.
According to the same source, the unemployed population (331.3 thousand) increased by 1.9% in relation to the previous month and decreased by 6% in relation to the three months before and 18.2% in relation to the same month of the previous year.
On 
The vaccination campaign for the administration of the 3rd dose of the Covid-19 is underway. The 3rd dose of the Covid-19 vaccine is being administered to people aged 18 or older, who had been inoculated with the 2nd dose of the vaccine more than 6 months ago. No appointment is required. Anyone interested simply has to turn up at any vaccination centre.
On October 26th, the Regional Health Service (Serviço Regional de Saúde) received a shipment of 5,000 doses of the flu vaccine. This will enable the continuity of the the current flu vaccination campaign. The flu vaccine is being administered in vaccination centres (along with the Covid-19 vaccine) and in health centres. 
This graphic shows an approximate representation of coastal areas under a tropical storm warning (blue). The orange circle indicates the current position of the centre of the tropical cyclone. The black line, when selected, and dots show the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) forecast track of the centre at the times indicated.