Portugal Situation Report Wednesday 23rd June 2021
Introduction
Good morning – Yesterday, we made the decision to ask people 55 years and over who had not yet received a vaccination what reasons for refusal were given following application. We are in discussion with government at a senior level and we want to ensure we have up to date information so we can present a complete list of items that need to be addressed and, at the same time, make a number of recommendations which we hope would make it easier for the future.
As expected, we received a large number of responses and we are grateful for those concerned taking the time to write. As I said in the Facebook post, we cannot not take up every case individually, but will summarize the main problems that have been encountered to see what can be done, in terms of processes and communication.
We have tried to reply to as many of your emails and messages as possible but as we said given the volume we have not been able to respond to some. Anyway, rest assured this will be brought to the attention of those who can make decisions, so let’s see what happens. I must say however the initial response has been positive and being able to engage directly with the foreign community directly can only be positive. We will be making the submission today.
We see regular news on unnamed sources from the National vaccine task force, giving the media forecasts dates for the availability of vaccines for different age groups. It is important to remember, however, that this is based on the foreseen availability of vaccines and other priorities which can change. A typical example was the availability of vaccines for those age 37 and over which came into effect on Monday evening. There was widespread media coverage in the days leading up to this that it would be available for those 35 years and over, but we decided not to publish at the time as things can change – which they did.
One possible change on the horizon could be more priority being given to vaccinating young age groups. According to official data, the age group with the most cases recorded in the post-confinement phase has been 20 to 29 years old, then 10 to 19 and finally 30 to 39. Changes in priorities could impact on the progress of other age groups, of course.
A reminder on the crime front. Now we have warmer weather and more people using beaches it is likely we will see an increase in thefts from vehicles near beaches, as well as opportunist types of crimes, where criminals seize the opportunity to steal items which are not being properly safeguarded by the owners.
Much of this type of crime is preventable by taking simple precautions, such as locking the car when leaving it in a car park, ensuring windows are closed and importantly, not leaving valuable items on display. Also take simple precautions in markets and other crowded places not to leave handbags on market stalls or carrying handbags with the contents on display.
Lastly, after a period of nearly a week with almost an unprecedented low fire risk throughout the mainland for June, the risk is now increasing and is forecast to increase further over the next few days, especially in the central areas of the mainland where major fires have taken place in the past. Please therefore monitor the fire risk daily and take all steps to prevent fires and, if you live in a high fire risk area, have an action plan in place should a fire break out in your area.
Please have a Safe day.
Headlines
Lisbon, June 22, 2021 (Lusa) – The President of the Republic today pointed out the Covid-19 digital certificate as “an important element” that can be taken into account in defining the restrictions to be adopted at the municipality level but added that the terms are incumbent on the Government.
In response to questions from journalists, on the side lines of a conference at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that he does not know “the measures that the Government will apply specifically to the various municipalities”.
“As it is certain that there is a new factor here, this factor is called a vaccine and it is called a certificate”, he pointed out, referring to the document that certifies the vaccination against Covid-19, the result of a negative test or recovery from an infection.
According to the President, “this certificate is an important element that – the Government has already said – can be taken into account when defining the restrictions”.
“But it is up to the Government to say on what terms,” he added.
Note: A council of Ministers meeting is due this Thursday and the details of the use of the certificate, within Portugal as opposed to external travel, are expected to be discussed.
Covid-19 DGS situation.
Confirmed Cases: 866.826 (+ 1020 / + 0.12 %)
Number of admitted: 450 (+ 7 / + 1.58 %)
Number of ICU admitted: 101 (+ 4 / + 4.12 %)
Deaths: 17.074 (+ 6 / + 0.04 %)
Recovered: 821.374 (+ 1293 / + 0.16 %)
Active cases: 28,378 (- 279 /- 0.97%)
Safe Communities comparisons/trends show that deaths were above last week’s daily average; new daily cases were similar to last week’s daily average of just over a thousand; recovered cases were more than new cases first time for over a week and once again 63% of new cases were in Lisbon and Vale do Tejo a lower percentage than nonday.
Those Covid-19 patients in hospital are the highest total since 19th April and in ICU there was an increase bringing number to just over 100 – the highest since 22nd April 2021. Despite an increase in active cases the total number is the second highest total since 26th March 2021.
Cases as we know are increasing considerably and it is important not to let our guard down at this crucial time. This means complying with the basic hygiene, social distancing and facemask rules
Health
Transmissibility of Delta Variant.
“The new variant is more transmissible, because it is more resistant to just one dose of vaccination”, says Marta Temido
“We are now at a different stage [of the pandemic] than we had a year ago,” said the Minister of Health this Tuesday, noting that infected people are now “much younger”.
The Health Minister, Marta Temido, who attended the inauguration of a new health unit in Alta de Lisboa, said that, even so, the pressure on the NHS is “different”.
“We are still worried that young people are getting infected. We don’t know the long-term consequences of the disease. There is a new variant circulating and it is cause for concern because it is more transmissible, because it is more resistant to just one dose of vaccination,” she stated.
The Delta variant is already predominant in Lisbon and is in the process of becoming so throughout the country. As it is 60% more contagious than the Alfa variant, the risk of transmissibility will continue to rise. Vítor Borges, a researcher who is part of the team that has been monitoring the variants at the Ricardo Jorge Institute, says that this variant “has practically doubled with each passing week.”
Marta Temido says that “we are all firmly committed and aligned to, with the Portuguese, achieve the best and the best solutions to continue walking out of this pandemic”.
Vaccinations
Covid-19: ‘Task force’ reactivates centre in Lisbon for unscheduled vaccination over 50 years.
Newsroom, June 22, 2021 (Lusa) – The vaccination centre against Covid-19 in pavilion 3 of Cidade Universitária, in Lisbon, will reopen this Wednesday at 9:00 am to vaccinate people 50 years of age or over without scheduling, today announced the ‘task force’.
In a note sent to Lusa, the team led by Vice Admiral Gouveia e Melo said that the centre would have at its service “28 soldiers from the three branches of the Armed Forces and will have the capacity to administer around 1,200 daily doses”.
For now, this space will only be dedicated to ‘open house’ vaccination, “making it available for the vaccination of first doses of users aged 50 years and over” registered in the health centre groups of Lisbon North and who have not have been infected in the past six months.
According to the ‘task force’, this vaccination centre will operate seven days a week, between 9:30 am and 5:30 pm and users who wish to be informed in real time about the availability of this space can consult the ‘room’ portal open’ .
Immunologist, Santos Rosa. Children and young people must be vaccinated as soon as possible.
The Delta variant advances throughout the country, being already predominant in the Lisbon and Vale do Tejo region. The Health Minister admits that it is necessary to gain more time to control it, which could mean more restrictions. Immunologist, Santos Rosa, argues that it is increasingly important that children and young people are vaccinated and that it is a maximum requirement to comply with sanitary rules.
There are more and more infections among young people, young adults and children alike. Most do not develop symptomatic or severe disease, but if they are not considered “a group of interest in vaccination, it means that the virus will be circulating in the community for a longer time”, warns Immunologist and Professor Manuel Santos Rosa. It’s because? “Because they are being a great vehicle for spreading the virus where they are, in families, schools, socializing, etc., which will keep the virus in circulation for much longer and regardless of whether older people are already vaccinated, this can mean that there are in the same hospitalization situations that can be serious, because, under any circumstance”.
In Portugal, and according to the daily bulletin of the Directorate-General for Health (DGS), this Monday, so far there are more than 125 infected people in the age group from 20 to 29 years old, more than 81 thousand in those aged 10 at 19 and already 48,000 between zero and nine years old. According to official data, the age group with the most cases recorded in the post-confinement phase has been 20 to 29 years old, then 10 to 19 and finally 30 to 39.
For the immunologist from Coimbra, it is necessary to immunize these groups as soon as possible, although he safeguards that “the timing for doing this is not a priority timing in relation to other groups or similar to the beginning of the vaccination process when we had a number death rate is very high among the elderly, but, at this moment, it is starting to be a priority timing”.
It should not be forgotten that the Delta variant, an origin associated with India, is already predominant in the Lisbon and Vale do Tejo region, but it is already growing throughout the country. Just yesterday, the Minister of Health, Marta Temido, also admitted that it was necessary to speed up vaccination and even more restrictions to “gain time in controlling this variant”, which has a greater degree of transmissibility than the previous one, Alpha, which is associated with the United Kingdom.
EU contracts purchase of over 150 million doses of vaccine from Moderna.
The contract provides for the possibility of acquiring vaccines adapted to the virus mutations, as well as for paediatric and booster use.
The European Commission approved this Monday the amendment to the second contract with the drug maker Moderna for the activation, on behalf of all Member States of the European Union (EU), of 150 million additional doses in 2022.
The revised contract provides for the possibility of acquiring vaccines adapted to the virus mutations, as well as for pediatric and booster use. This was announced by the Head of State of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in the publication she shared on the social network
The contract guarantees the timely delivery of doses from the third quarter of this year until the end of 2022 and the possibility of adapting it to the needs of each Member State depending on its epidemiological situation.
Member States, for their part, have the possibility to resell or donate doses to countries in need outside the EU or through the COVAX Facility.
The EU has already invested €2.9 billion in vaccine development
Tuesday’s contract with Moderna is based on the portfolio of vaccines that will guarantee Europe access to up to 4.4 billion doses, once all vaccines have been proven safe and effective.
Sport
Task-force confirms vaccination of rugby team ahead of European games.
The vaccination task force confirmed this Tuesday that the Portuguese rugby team will be vaccinated against Covid-19 before participating in the European Championship, “in consistency” with the procedure adopted for other national representations.
In response to questions sent by the Lusa agency, the task force’s communication office confirmed the information provided today by the President of the Portuguese Rugby Federation (FPR) and explained that the action is part of a “logic of exception” for certain groups.
“The Portuguese rugby team, which will participate in the European Championship, will, in line with the procedure adopted with the national football team, as well as with the Portuguese delegation to the Olympic Games, be vaccinated”, explained the task force, in a written response.
“Once again”, explains the organization led by Vice Admiral Henrique de Gouveia e Melo, “this vaccination is part of the logic of exception for specific actions of official representation of the country in international events, with organizations that recommend the vaccination of participants”.
Earlier, the President of the FPR told the Lusa agency that the players of the Portuguese rugby team would be vaccinated in the coming days, a day after accusing the Government of not responding to the request made more than two weeks ago.
Carlos Amado da Silva said that he was informed “in the morning”, by the ‘task-force’ of vaccination, that the request of the Portuguese Rugby Federation (FPR) was approved and that “the entire delegation” will travel to the countries Netherlands and Russia in July will be vaccinated “in the coming days”.
The FPR leader, incidentally, underlined the role of the ‘task-force’, which was, in his opinion, the entity that “unlocked the whole situation”.
The players and other members of the national delegation, who have not yet been vaccinated, will be inoculated “with the single-dose vaccine”, said Amado da Silva, that is, Janssen, pharmaceutical group of the American giant Johnson & Johnson, the only one that completes the vaccination with just one dose.
Next month, the Portuguese rugby team will compete in two matches of the Europe Championship 2021, in the Netherlands, on July 10th, and in Russia, on July 17th, which will qualify for the World Cup in France, 2023.
Festivals
Paredes de Coura Festival postponed to 2022.
The Paredes de Coura festival, which was supposed to take place in August in that locality, was postponed to 2022, due to “all the uncertainties and constant changes in the procedures for the return of live shows”, the organization announced this Tuesday.
“There will be no Vodafone Paredes de Coura this year. All the uncertainties and constant changes in the procedures for the return of live shows lead us, with a lot of regret, to admit that this is the most sensible decision to take”, says promoter Ritmos , in a statement released today, in which it announces the new dates: August 17, 18, 19 and 20, 2022.
The festival had not taken place last year, due to restrictions imposed by the Government to try to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. This year, Vodafone Paredes de Coura was scheduled for the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st of August.
Crisis caused by the pandemic threw 400,000 people into poverty.
About 400 thousand people have fallen below the poverty line due to the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, aggravating the gap between the rich and the poor in Portugal, reveals a study released this Tuesday.
“Compared to the non-crisis scenario, 400,000 new individuals have fallen below the poverty line, defined as 60% of the equivalent median income, increasing the at-risk-of-poverty rate by 25% as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he concluded. The study by the Social Observatory of the “la Caixa” Foundation, authored by the Centre of Economics for Prosperity (PROSPER) of the Catholic University of Lisbon.
According to the document that Lusa had access to, which considers that the Government’s measures partially minimized the increase in poverty and inequality, the pandemic resulted in a “substantial loss of income for the Portuguese population”, with the median annual income falling from 10,100 euros in the non-crisis scenario to 9,100 euros in the crisis scenario.
Furthermore, the crisis caused by Covid-19 “had asymmetric effects”, as the lower and lower-middle classes, the Algarve region and people with schooling up to the ninth grade “were the groups most affected by this crisis, with losses clearly above the national average,” says the study.
According to the study, most of the people most affected by the crisis were already in the lower half of the income distribution in the non-crisis scenario, which led to an increase in inequality.
“The results show that the pandemic led to an impressive 25% increase in poverty over the course of one year, when compared to the crisis and non-crisis scenarios, putting at risk the progress made in the last twenty years and reversing the trend of continued reduction in poverty started in 2015, when the poverty rate was 19%”, says the document.
Strike notices during pandemic.
The number of strike advance notices increased from 43 in April to 71 in May, the month in which the end of the State of Emergency was decreed due to the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic, official data shows.
According to the monthly evolution published by the Directorate-General for Employment and Labour Relations (DGERT), the number of strike notices registered in May thus increased by 65% compared to April.
Comparing with May 2020, about two months after the start of the pandemic and when the number of strike advance notices totalled 39, the increase was 82% in May this year.
Enforcement
Porto’s PSP reinforces policing in São João and calls for compliance with rules.
The PSP of Porto guaranteed this Tuesday that it will reinforce policing on the night of São João, from Wednesday to Thursday, and calls for compliance with the rules given the current context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“A better understanding and collaboration of all is requested in complying with the rules imposed in this pandemic framework, complying with and respecting the indications of the police officers who will be at the service of the community”, says the Metropolitan Command of Porto da PSP, in a statement sent to the agency Portuguese.
In the text, this police force reveals that “it will reinforce the policing in its area of responsibility, involving police elements of different capacities, namely those related to proximity policing, in order to guarantee special and general security conditions”.
Regions
Madeira Situation Report Wednesday 23rd June by our Special Correspondent, Daniel
Covid-19 update
There were 21 new Covid-19 cases, 22 recoveries and no deaths from Covid-19 in Madeira since the previous Madeira Situation Report.
On Saturday, there were 5 new Covid-19 cases (from 1 passenger who had arrived from the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region and 4 cases of local transmission) and 4 recoveries. The number of patients in hospital increased to 4, although none were in intensive care.
On Sunday, there were 4 new Covid-19 cases (from 1 passenger who had arrived from South Africa, 1 passenger who had arrived from the UK, 1 passenger who had arrived from the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region and 1 case of local transmission) and 9 recoveries. The number of patients in hospital remained the same as the day before, with no patients in intensive care.
On Monday, there were 3 new Covid-19 cases (all cases of local transmission) and 7 recoveries. The number of patients in hospital increased to 5, although none were in intensive care.
And on Tuesday, there were 9 new Covid-19 cases (from 1 passenger who had arrived from Cameroon, 1 passenger who had arrived from the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region and 7 cases of local transmission) and 2 recoveries. The number of patients in hospital decreased to 3 and, once again, no patients were in intensive care.
There were 67 active cases on Tuesday, of which 26 had been imported while the other 41 cases had been a result of local transmission. As of Tuesday, there had been 9,589 cases, 9,450 recoveries and 72 deaths.
On Tuesday, there were 10 patients in isolation in a dedicated hotel, 54 patients in isolation in their own accommodation and 3 patients in hospital, none of whom in intensive care.
On the same day, there were 26 suspected cases under epidemiological investigation and analysis, which were all linked to patients who tested positive for Covid-19, to calls made to the SRS24 helpline, to referrals by SESARAM (Madeira Regional Health Service) and to airport screening.
There were 23,851 travellers under monitoring by the health authorities. Monitoring is being carried out through the ‘MadeiraSafe’ app. There were also 316 people, who had contact with positive cases, being monitored by the health authorities of several Madeira municipalities and of Porto Santo.
As for Covid-19 testing on passengers who had arrived at Funchal and Porto Santo airports, 238,650 samples had been collected until Tuesday (at 15h30). By Tuesday, 483,274 samples from RT-PCR tests had been processed and 72,190 antigen rapid tests had been carried out in the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
The SRS 24 helpline (Regional Health Service – 800 24 24 20) received 424 calls from Friday to Tuesday. Overall, it had received 53,644 calls.
The Covid-19 mental health helpline (Linha de Acompanhamento Psicológico da Direção Regional de Saúde – 291 212 399 – available every day from 09h00 to 21h00), which was set up to provide emotional and mental support to anyone in Madeira received 13 calls from Friday to Tuesday. Overall, it has received 3,662 calls.
https://funchalnoticias.net/2021/06/19/5-novos-casos-de-covid-19-4-recuperados-24-suspeitos/
https://funchalnoticias.net/2021/06/20/drs-da-conta-de-4-novos-casos-de-covid-19-9-recuperados-e-24-suspeitos/
https://www.jm-madeira.pt/regiao/ver/132531/Madeira_regista_mais_3_casos_de_covid-19
https://funchalnoticias.net/2021/06/22/9-novos-casos-de-covid-19-2-recuperados-26-suspeitos/
Covid-19 vaccination update
On Sunday, the Region received 40,950 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. This was the biggest batch ever delivered to the Region.
As of June 20th, 193,648 Covid-19 vaccine doses (105,598 1st doses & 85,050 2nd doses/full vaccination) had been administered in the Autonomous Region of Madeira since the start of the vaccination campaign on 31st December. This means that 43% of the population have been inoculated with the 1st dose of the vaccine while 34% have been fully vaccinated.
In the previous week, a total of 11,596 vaccine doses (3,499 1st doses & 8,097 2nd doses/full vaccination) were administered.
The plan for this week is to continue to administer vaccine doses throughout the Region, with the highlight being the scheduled vaccination campaign in Porto Santo, which will take place on June 25th, 26th and 27th.
As of Tuesday, 196,328 doses (110,330 1st doses & 85,998 2nd doses/full vaccination) had been administered in the Region.
https://funchalnoticias.net/2021/06/20/mais-40-950-vacinas-da-pfizer-para-a-ram/
https://funchalnoticias.net/2021/06/22/mais-de-193-mil-vacinas-contra-a-covid-19-administradas-na-ram/
https://web.sesaram.pt/COVID19_INFO
More easyJet flights to Madeira
EasyJet announced it will strengthen existing routes to Funchal. There will be an additional daily flight from Lisbon and from Porto to Funchal. This means there will be 2 daily flights from Porto to Funchal, 4 daily flights from Lisbon to Funchal on weekdays and Fridays and 5 daily flights from Lisbon to Funchal on Sundays.
https://www.jm-madeira.pt/regiao/ver/132572/EasyJet_reforça_a_capacidade_de_ligações_para_a_Madeira
Iberia flights diverted to the Canary Islands
On Sunday afternoon, Iberia flights scheduled to land in Porto Santo were unable to do so as a result of rainy and foggy weather on the island and after several landing attempts. This meant the flights were forced to divert to the Canary Islands. The flights had already landed in Porto Santo by the start of Sunday evening.
https://www.jm-madeira.pt/regiao/ver/132448/Voos_da_Iberia_que_divergiram_para_Canarias_ja_aterraram_no_Porto_Santo
Road closures tonight
An athletics race (XXIII Circuito de São Martinho) will be taking place tonight. As a result, there will be road closures to car traffic at 19h00 in the following places:
– Caminho da São Martinho (between Rua de São Martinho and Rua da Vargem)
– Caminho do Esmeraldo (between Rua Agostinho Pereira de Oliveira and the roundabout at São Martinho)
– Rua Dr. Barreto (between Caminho do Pilar and Caminho de São Martinho
The following roads will be closed if there are athletes on the move through such roads (at anytime from 19h00):
– Rua Dr. Barreto
– Caminho do Avista Navios
– Caminho da Nazaré
– Rua do Curaçau
– Rua do Brasil
– Rua da Austrália
– Rua Corveta Dona Estefânia
– Rua do Engenho Velho
– Rua da Venezuela
https://funchalnoticias.net/2021/06/22/cmf-avisa-para-interrupcoes-do-transito-em-sao-martinho/
Water supply disruptions
Due to scheduled work on the water supply network in order to reduce water leaks, there will be water supply disruptions in the following places:
CÂMARA DE LOBOS
Parish (freguesia) of Estreito de Câmara de Lobos (Ladeira da Marinheira) – 23rd June (09h00-13h00)
Parish (freguesia) of Estreito de Câmara de Lobos (Igreja, Pico e Salões, Ribeira da Caixa, Quinta do Leme, Rua da Igreja, Largo do Patim) & Parish of Câmara de Lobos (Bela Vista, Pico e Salões, Quinta do Leme) – 24th June (09h00-13h00)
Parish (freguesia) of Câmara de Lobos (Torre, Estrada João Gonçalves Zarco) – 25th June (09h00-13h00)
Parish (freguesia) of Câmara de Lobos (Rancho) – Rua do Serrado do Mar e Travessa do Serrado do Mar – 25th June (09h00-13h00)
https://www.jm-madeira.pt/regiao/ver/132341/Interrupcoes_do_abastecimento_de_agua_em_Camara_de_Lobos_Machico_e_Ribeira_Brava_
Power cut
Empresa de Electricidade da Madeira (Madeira power supplier) announced there will be power cuts due to planned work on the electricity supply network. These works cannot be postponed and will take place in the following days and places:
FUNCHAL – June 23rd – 09h00 to 12h00 (TODAY)
– Estrada Luso Brasileira (number 3)
– Caminho da Lombada (numbers 59 to 110)
– Rua Engenheiro Adelino Amaro da Costa
– Travessa da Quinta dos Reis (numbers 30 to 34)
MONTE – June 23rd – 08h30 to 9h00 & 11h00 to 11h30 (TODAY)
– Chão do Arieiro
CAMACHA – June 23rd – 08h30 to 9h00 & 11h00 to 11h30 (TODAY)
– Levada da Serra
– Vale Paraíso (north)
– Rochão de Cima
– Carreira
– Pico do Silva
– Montado do Pereiro
– Poiso
ROQUE DO FAIAL – June 23rd – 08h30 to 9h00 & 11h00 to 11h30 (TODAY)
– Pico do Arieiro
– Poço da Neve
MONTE – June 23rd – 08h30 to 11h30 (TODAY)
– Chão da Lagoa
CAMACHA – June 23rd – 08h30 to 11h30 (TODAY)
– Carreiras de Baixo
FUNCHAL – June 24th – 09h00 to 11h30 & 14h00 to 16h00
– Caminho da Portada (number 35)
– Caminho de Santo António dos Capuchos (numbers 4 to 21)
SÃO JORGE – June 24th – 09h00 to 10h00
– Calhau
FUNCHAL – June 25th – 00h00 to 05h00
– Rua do Alto do Pico (up to number 7)
– Rua dos Frias (numbers 22 to 88)
– Rua de João Serra Velez Caroço (number 11)
– Travessa dos Frias (number 26)
– 2ª Travessa dos Frias
– Escadas dos Frias
FUNCHAL – June 25th – 09h00 to 12h00
– Caminho de São Martinho (numbers 78 to 108)
– Caminho do Papagaio Verde (numbers 44 and 56)
– Beco do Relojoeiro (numbers 6 to 16)
– Rampa do Relojoeiro (numbers 3 to 25)
– Rampa do Castanheiro (numbers 30 to 46)
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 (Serviço de Apoio ao Cliente): 800 221 187.
https://funchalnoticias.net/2021/06/21/publicidade-o-fornecimento-de-energia-sera-interrompido-nos-dias-horas-e-locais-abaixo-indicados-anuncio-51-2021/
https://funchalnoticias.net/2021/06/22/publicidade-o-fornecimento-de-energia-sera-interrompido-nos-dias-horas-e-locais-abaixo-indicados-anuncio-52-2021/
Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 23rd June
Algarve administered 28,590 Covid-19 vaccines in one week.
The Algarve administered, in a week, 28,590 vaccines against Covid-19, according to data from the bulletin of this Tuesday, June 22, of the General Directorate of Health (DGS).
Compared to last week, 7% more of the Algarve received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while another 3% finished the process. So far, 42% of the population in the region has already been inoculated with a dose and 27% has completed vaccination.
These numbers mean that 69% of people in the Algarve have already received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
In total, 298,448 vaccines have been given in the Algarve (+28,590 in one week).
In Alentejo, 52% of people took a dose (+2%), while 34% (+4%) of Alentejo people have already finished the process.
Algarve is “at full strength to welcome the summer”, according to RTA.
Associação believes in the strength of the Algarve, at a time when some municipalities in the region are facing new restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Algarve Tourism Region (RTA), issued a note highlighting the arrival «of the high summer season in the Algarve at a crucial moment in the resumption of tourist activity», finding «the destination’s Sun and Sea offer in full force».
According to this Association, “not only was the region elected as the Best Beach Destination in the World at the World Travel Awards, the Oscars of world tourism, as well as its beaches, accumulate quality awards that reinforce the reasons for a visit. All in all, that’s 244 extra reasons to choose the Algarve beaches on vacation”.
RTA recalls that “Tavira, with four beaches, and Faro and Vila do Bispo, with three, are among the municipalities with the most ZERO Pollution Beaches in Portugal, a distinction awarded by the environmentalist association ZERO to beaches where no microbiological contamination was detected in the analyses of the bathing waters during the last three bathing seasons. In all, this year the region offers 14 ZERO Pollution Beaches”.
More good news is that the Algarve “is the national region with the highest annual increase in Beaches with Gold Quality, an award given by the environmentalist association Quercus to distinguish the quality of bathing water on Portuguese beaches. A total of 93 beaches in the destination have Golden Quality, and the municipality of Albufeira is the one that shines the most in the whole country, with 20 awarded beaches».
Albufeira is also the leading national municipality in Blue Flags, with a total of 26 awards hoisted on 25 beaches and in the local marina. In 2021, the European Blue Flag Association awarded the Algarve 91 Blue Flags, a symbol of environmental quality that will be flown on 87 beaches and four marinas in the region.
RTA recalls that “last year, the Algarve also offered visitors 45 Accessible Beaches, which unfurl the white flag of the Accessible Beach Program – Praia para Todos to mark bathing areas accessible to people with reduced mobility”.
Finally, concludes the Tourist Association of the region, in November 2020 “the Algarve was distinguished, for the first time, as Best Beach Destination in the World, in the Grand Final of the World Travel Awards, gathering the preference of the main leaders of the tourism and trips from all over the world”.
Azores Situation Report Wednesday 23rd June 2021 – From our colleague in the Azores
Armed Forces Medical Team .
The Armed Forces health team has concluded its support for the vaccination process against Covid-19 in the Azorean islands without a hospital, having inoculated more than 6,700 people since June 6th.
The military team did not reinforce the vaccination in São Miguel because the “installed capacity” on that island is “sufficient”, the secretary of Health of the Government of the Azores said.
In a press release, the General Staff of the Armed Forces states that the team consisting of two doctors, six nurses and a pharmacist worked from the 6th to the 20th of June to support the regional process of vaccination in the Azorean islands without a hospital.
“During this period, the military vaccinated more than 6,700 people in vaccination centres on the islands of Santa Maria, Flores, Graciosa, São Jorge and Pico, in collaboration with local health authorities.”
On June 14th, the Head of State of the Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, admitted the possibility that that military team would also participate in the reinforcement of vaccination in São Miguel, an island that registers the highest number of cases of Covid- 19.
The regional secretary of Health, Clélio Meneses, said that the Armed Forces health team did not participate in the vaccination process on the largest Azorean island because, “at this moment”, the “installed capacity is sufficient for vaccines” available to the region.
The government official recalled that around 25,000 vaccines are expected to arrive on the island of São Miguel in the coming days.
The regional secretary of Health of the Government of the Azores also praised the “fundamental” work of the military team in supporting vaccination.
“Right now, we have to thank the extraordinary work developed in cooperation with the local capacity installed in this operation”, he pointed out.
The smallest Azorean island, Corvo, had already been the target of a vaccination process in February and March, which allowed the inoculation of 89% of the vaccinated population of the island.
19th June 2021
42 new positive cases of Covid-19 were diagnosed in the Azores, two in Faial and 40 in São Miguel, resulting from 2,772 tests carried out in reference laboratories in the Region and two in non-conventional laboratories.
In Faial there were two new cases, both in the parish of Castelo Branco, municipality of Horta, and one of these cases, relating to a resident traveller, with a positive result on arrival, gave rise to a new chain of local transmission on this island.
In São Miguel, all cases refer to community transmission. Thus, the municipality of Ribeira Grande registered eight new cases (four in the Matriz and one in each of the parishes of Rabo de Peixe, Ribeirinha, Pico da Pedra and Lomba da Maia). In the municipality of Ponta Delgada there were 20 new cases (five in Arrifes, four in São Pedro, four in Fenais da Luz, three in São José, two in Fajã de Cima, one in Covoada and one in Feteiras). In the municipality of Lagoa there were 12 new cases (five in Água de Pau, three in Rosário, three in Santa Cruz and one in Cabouco).
During the epidemiological investigation it was found that in São Miguel, a positive case initially allocated in the parish of Água de Alto, municipality of Vila Franca do Campo, is residing in the parish of Santa Clara, municipality of Ponta Delgada. Data shown in the respective tables reflect this change.
26 recoveries were recorded.
20th June 2021
20 new positive cases of Covid-19 were diagnosed in the Azores, one in Terceira, one in Santa Maria and 18 in São Miguel, resulting from 2,389 tests carried out in reference laboratories in the Region.
On Terceira, there was a positive case in the parish of Porto Martins, municipality of Praia da Vitória, concerning a traveller, resident, with a positive result on the sixth day, after traveling outside the archipelago.
In Santa Maria there was also a positive case, in Vila do Porto, resulting from an inter-island traveller, non-resident, with a positive test on arrival.
In São Miguel, all cases refer to community transmission. Thus, the municipality of Ribeira Grande registered seven new cases: five in Matriz and two in Ribeirinha. In the municipality of Ponta Delgada there were eight new cases (four in Fenais da Luz, one in Fajã de Cima, one in São Pedro, one in São José and one in São Roque). In the municipality of Lagoa there were three new cases (two in Santa Cruz, one in Água de Pau).
27 recoveries were recorded.
21st June 2021
27 new positive cases of Covid-19 were diagnosed in the Azores, one on the island of Terceira, and 26 on the island of São Miguel, following 1,016 tests carried out in the reference laboratories of the Region.
On the island of Terceira, there was a positive case in the parish of Cabo da Praia, municipality of Praia da Vitoria, concerning a traveller, non-resident, who tested positive upon entering the port of Praia da Vitoria.
On the island of São Miguel, there was a case of a traveller residing in the parish of São Pedro, municipality of Ponta Delgada, who tested positive result upon arrival from a travel outside the archipelago. All other cases concern community transmission. Thus, the municipality of Ribeira Grande registered 11 new cases (six in Rabo de Peixe, two in Matriz, one in Lomba da Maia, one in Ribeirinha and one in Conceição). There were five new cases in the municipality of Ponta Delgada (two in Arrifes, two in São Pedro and one in Santa Clara). There were 10 new cases in the municipality of Lagoa (six in Água de Pau, and one in each of the parishes of Cabouco, Rosário, Santa Cruz and Ribeira Chã).
No recoveries have been registered.
22nd June 2021
43 new positive cases of Covid-19 were diagnosed in the Azores, one on the island of Faial and 42 on the island of São Miguel, following 2,700 tests carried out in the reference laboratories of the Region and one in an independent laboratory.
On the island of Faial, there was a new case, in the parish of Praia do Norte, related to the existing local primary transmission chains on the island.
On the island of São Miguel, two cases concern travellers, both non-residents, one who tested positive on the 6th day and one before starting an inter-island travel, who tested positive upon arrival from mainland Portugal. All other cases were diagnosed in the context of community transmission.
The municipality of Ribeira Grande registered 14 new cases (eight in Matriz, two in Pico da Pedra, one in Rabo de Peixe, one in Ribeirinha, one in Conceição and one in São Brás).
There were 14 new cases in the municipality of Ponta Delgada (three in Capelas, two in Arrifes, two in the Fenais da Luz, two in Relva, one in Fajã de Cima, one in São José, one in Ginetes, one in São Vincente Ferreira and one in Candelária).
There were 10 new cases in the municipality of Lagoa (five in Rosário, four in Santa Cruz and one in Água de Pau).
In the municipality of Vila Franca do Campo, three new cases were diagnosed (two in Água de Alto and one in São Miguel) and the municipality of Povoação registered a positive case (Ribeira Quente)
In the same period, there were 78 recoveries.
There are four patients hospitalized at the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital in São Miguel and one in the Santo Espírito Hospital of Terceira Island, none in intensive care. There are 998 people under active surveillance.
Two primary local transmission chains are active on the island of Faial and 203 local transmission chains have been extinguished so far.
The archipelago currently has 312 positive active cases: 287 on the island of São Miguel, 11 on the island of Terceira, 10 on the island of Faial, 1 on the island of São Jorge and 1 on the island of Santa Maria. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 6,165 positive cases of Covid-19 have been diagnosed in the Azores and 5,685 people recovered from the disease. There were 33 deaths, 80 people who left the archipelago and 55 cases with history of previous cure.
To date, 558,104 tests have been carried out to detect SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19 disease. From December 31st, 2020 to June 17th, 187,119 doses of Covid-19 vaccine were administered in the Azores, corresponding to 109,258 people aged 16 years or more who received the first dose, and 77,861 people who received both doses, under the Regional Vaccination Plan.
Firstly to Israel, the country (which was first out of the blocks with the vaccine and has vaccinated the vast majority of its citizens) which has seen a 274% increase in positive cases in the last week. The total of new cases this week was 505 compared to 135 the previous week. While this is still relatively small and equates to a figure of 54 cases per 1 million of population it is still a worry for the authorities, to the extent that they are advising their citizens not to travel unless essential.
In Indonesia, there has been a big surge in cases over the past week. In a country that has a population of 276 million, the rise in Covid-19 cases in the last week has been large. In the last 7 days, 95,769 new cases were recorded compared to 60,602 the previous week. A rise of 58%. What is more concerning is that the death rate in the last week has risen by 61% with 2,118 people dying from the virus.
A spike in Covid-19 cases in the Seychelles made global news in May. The country had the highest vaccination cover in the world, with a majority of its population having received one jab or the other.
Saudi Arabia recognises vaccination certificates for only AstraZeneca – known as Covishield in India – Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines.
Here is one story of a family crushed by death and bereavement but this is just one and there are many thousands more, and probably hundreds of thousands of similar stories, across the world.
Covid-19 has claimed more than 600,000 lives in the U.S., and researchers writing in the journal JAMA Pediatrics calculated that for every 13 deaths caused by the virus, one child under 18 has lost a parent. As of June 15th, that would translate into more than 46,000 kids, researchers estimated. Three-quarters of the children are adolescents; the others are kids under age 10. About 20 percent of the children who’ve lost parents are black, though they make up 14 percent of the population.
Meanwhile, Villegas and others say they have been left largely on their own to navigate a confusing patchwork of community services for their children even as they struggle with their own grief. “I called the counsellor at school. She gave me a few little resources on books and stuff,” Villegas said. “I called some crisis hotline. I called counselling places, but they couldn’t help because they had waiting lists and needed insurance. My kids lost their insurance when their dad died.”
Jamie Stacy, 42, of San Jose, California, was connected with an online counsellor for her daughter, Grace, 8, and twin sons, Liam and Colm, 6, after their father, Ed Stacy, died of Covid-19 in March 2020 at age 52. Only then did she learn that children can grieve differently than adults. They tend to focus on concrete concerns, such as where they’ll live and whether their favourite toys or pets will be there. They often alternate periods of play with sadness, cycling rapidly between confronting and avoiding their feelings of loss.
In this report we are looking at where the COVAX organisation is with regards to helping the poorer nations in the world access vaccinations.
There’s more good news: Vaccine manufacturers are still scaling up production, and Novavax, a U.S.-based biotech, reported stellar efficacy results for its low-cost, easy-to-store vaccine this week, further raising hopes that the gap between rich and poor can be narrowed. (Many had hoped a few hundred million more doses might come from CureVac this year, but that company yesterday reported disappointing results from an efficacy trial that may derail its candidate.)
A comment in the 8 June issue of The Lancet took the idea a step further. Health lawyer Thomas Bollyky of the Council on Foreign Relations and modelers Christopher Murray and Robert Reiner from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) used computer models to estimate expected Covid-19 mortality by country between 1 June and 31 August, based on presumed transmission rates, vaccine supply, and the impact of variants on immunity. They find that Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and South Africa have the greatest need. That’s where COVAX should deploy its doses, they argued.
The main reason COVAX has missed its target so far is that it had little money last year to purchase vaccines, and it relied heavily on the Serum Institute of India to supply doses until more companies offered proven products at discount prices. But Serum stopped exporting promised doses in March, when Covid-19 cases in India exploded. That surge has now peaked, and the company has ramped up its production from some 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine per month to 100 million doses this month. Capacity may reach 250 million doses monthly by the end of the year, the company tells Science. COVAX leaders hope the company may resume exports as soon as September.
When we are going to discuss the future of Europe, one lesson we must learn from this pandemic is that, if Europe was right to act together in the purchase of vaccines, then it was wrong to leave each country free to define the conditions for using vaccines and restrictions”, stressed António Costa.
People who have taken the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine should wait to receive an SMS or call to schedule the second dose, a source at the ‘task force’ told Lusa today.
On the same day, there were 52 suspected cases under epidemiological investigation and analysis, which were all linked to patients who tested positive for Covid-19, to calls made to the SRS24 helpline, to referrals by SESARAM (Madeira Regional Health Service) and to airport screening.
Porto Santo Line (a ferry company) announced it will have extra ferry services connecting the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo on June 30th. The aim is to provide passengers with alternative timetables in order to increase demand for travel to Porto Santo. This will be the timetable on June 30th:
Since June 1st, there have been a total of 456 positive cases in the region, of whom 34% were people of other nationalities, with a higher incidence in the British (46%), French (10%) and Brazilians (9%), revealed Ana Cristina Guerreiro at a press conference.
Held next to the Aquashow Hotel at Semino in Quarteira, the press conference that brought together the Mayor of Loulé, Presidents of Parish Councils and businessmen of the municipality, conveyed to the Government and health authorities that the adopted formula for case accounting positive of Covid.19, is not being applied correctly, because it is not adapted to the reality experienced in municipalities with strong tourist dynamics.
Following the government’s recent decision, Council of Ministers Resolution 76-A/2021, of 17 June, «it is with deep sadness that Albufeira considers itself discriminated against by the criteria of a government that once again does not consider the current reality of region, especially in a municipality that depends so much on tourism».