International COVID-19 Megathread

[Mike88]

Israel has already vaxxed about 10% of the population.

Austria only 6.000 (0.07%) and Germany 60.000 (0.07%) ...

Here in Portugal, as of yesterday, 16,701 (0.16%) had already received the first dose of the vaccine, all of them NHS staff. More updates are expected.

[Mike88]

Here in Portugal, as of yesterday, 16,701 (0.16%) had already received the first dose of the vaccine, all of them NHS staff. More updates are expected.

Numbers from today: 26,850 (0.26%) already vaccined with the first dose, more 10,149 than yesterday.

[Mike88]

Worst day till date in terms of new cases in Portugal: 7,623 new cases. 76 new deaths and 3,260 recovered. However, hospitalizations dropped to 2,840, minus 56, and patients in ICUs also dropped to 482, minus 5.

This may be, IMO, more a statistical issue as many tests were made in the days before Christmas and now the results are being reported.

[Mike88]

10,027 new cases today here in Portugal.

The Health minister has already ordered that all hospitals in Lisbon to halt all non urgent activities.

[Mike88]

Portugal: Almost 10,000 new cases again today, 9,927 cases and 95 deaths, and Costa's cabinet met this morning to discuss possible restrictions.

Before Costa's briefing, the media was reporting the government was rejecting any idea of a total lockdown or schools closings. However, in his statement, Costa said that a lockdown like in March is possible, but that he hopes that will not be necessary. Schools closings, however, are off the table. He added that although the panorama is still unclear, the number of cases is surging and more restrictive measures will be taken next week. The only meassure imposed for this weekend is the prohibition of traveling between municipalities.

At the same time, the Azores regional government has decided to close schools and impose curfews in S. Miguel island.

[Mike88]

It's almost certain that Portugal will enter in a lockdown next week.

The numbers from today show 10,176 new cases and 118 new deaths. At the same time, the Health minister said that 70,000 people have already received the first dose of the Covid vaccine.

[Mike88]

It's official. Portugal will enter in a lockdown next week, but new restrictive measures will only be announced on Tuesday.

[Mike88]

More awful news from Portugal:

More 7,502 new cases in Portugal and 102 new deaths. Hospitalizations grew by 215 compared with yesterday. ICUs also grew to 558, from 540 yesterday.

In just 5 days, the country has had almost 50,000 new cases of Covid and new deaths have been above 100 for the last 3 days.

[Mike88]

155 new deaths yesterday here. Things are grim.

[Mike88]

Portugal will enter in a month long lockdown at midnight tonight. PM Costa will announce the new rules during the day. The main discussion right now is about schools as the government is divided on which students could attend class or not.

At the same time the number of new cases and deaths reached new records today: 10,556 new cases and 156 deaths.

[Mike88]

Portugal: PM Costa announced the lockdown measures:

-Restaurants, bars, shops, hairdressers, all close;
-Cultural events are forbidden;
-Schools will remain open for all ages and antigen tests (rapid tests) will be conducted regularly;
-Courts will also remain open;
-Health clinics and dentists will remain open;
-Penalties for those who violate the rules will duplicate;
-Teleworking mandatory;
-Businesses closed during this period will have the same Social Security supports they had in the 1st lockdown in March/April;
-The football championship will not be interrupted but will continue without audience;

Insted of today at midnight, the lockdown will only start tomorrow at midnight.

The Health minister also signed a dispatch that mandates all public hospitals to stop all non-Covid surgeries urgent and non-urgent, in order to concentrate all efforts in the Covid fight.

[Mike88]

Portugal's second lockdown started at midnight, but the media is reporting that the movement on the streets and subways is basically similar to yesterday.

Público's coverage: https://www.publico.pt/2021/01/15/sociedade/noticia/portugal-entra-novo-confinamento-geral-franca-impoe-recolher-obrigatorio-nacional-partir-18h-1946415

[Mike88]

Widespread panic over this supposed new "Brazilian variant" of Covid now.

Almost every country now seems to have their own variant: UK, South Africa, USA and now Brazil.

[Mike88]

View of Lisbon during the 1st day of the "2nd lockdown":

Like the media reported during the day, a lot more traffic and movement compared with the 1st lockdown in March-May. The media also reports a lot of businesses working in "undercover"mode.

[Mike88]

Another grim day in Portugal: Almost 11,000 new cases, 10,947, and another record in new deaths, 166. The number of hospitalizations grew to 4,653, 93 more than yesterday, and 638 in ICU's, 16 more.

Plus, more data shows, like I posted above, that the country isn't confining that much. On the 1st day of the March lockdown, 61% of the population stayed home, this time just 39.5% stayed home. A number that confirms the movement and aerial footage I posted above. Schools being open, of course makes that the total number of people in lockdown drops by a lot.

[Mike88]

The media here is reporting that Portugal is already the worst country in Europe in terms of new cases daily per one million, and the 2nd worldwide.

The government will convene tomorrow in a emergency cabinet meeting to probably announce more restrictions.

[Mike88]

Portugal update:

The government will convene tomorrow in a emergency cabinet meeting to probably announce more restrictions.

More additional measures for the "2nd lockdown" announced a while ago by Costa:

- Sale or delivery of products by wicket are forbidden in non-food stores;
- Sale of any kind of drinks is also forbidden by wicket and in any other places;
- All restaurants in shopping malls will be closed;
- All store campaigns of promotions and sales are forbidden;
- It's forbidden to sit or stay in public places, like public gardens;
- Mayors are mandated to limit and end gatherings;
- Circulation between municipalities is forbidden during the weekend and any kind of stores need to close by 8pm, 1pm during the weekend expect supermarkets and similar stores that can stay open until 5pm;

However, the PM didn't said when these additional measures will come into effect.

[Mike88]

By wicket?

Isn't that the right word? What I mean is this:
https://www.revistasauda.pt/SiteCollectionImages/RS/Farm%C3%A1cias%20Portuguesas/header_braganca.jpg

The sale of products by a small door in order to avoid any contact.

[Mike88]

Another grim, very grim day in Portugal.

218 new deaths and 10,450 new cases.

The good news is that there are 10,282 new recoveries.

[Mike88]

Seriously, my country is getting crazy:

In Barcelos, there are people renting animals just to have an excuse to leave their houses.

In Cascais, there are people walking with leashes but with no animals and when asked what are they doing, some say they are searching for their lost pet.

Jesus! Anyway, the new measures announced yesterday by Costa will start taking effect Wednesday at midnight.

[Mike88]

Seriously, my country is getting crazy:

In Barcelos, there are people renting animals just to have an excuse to leave their houses.

In Cascais, there are people walking with leashes but with no animals and when asked what are they doing, some say they are searching for their lost pet.

Jesus! Anyway, the new measures announced yesterday by Costa will start taking effect Wednesday at midnight.

Ah, I see good old picaresca is a thing across the border in Portugal too

Keeping with the letter of the law, not the spirit of the law

Yep, and like we say here, jokingly É proibido mas podes fazer, só que é proibido, mas podes fazer.* (It is forbidden but you can do it, only it is forbidden, but you can do it.) xD

*From this famous comic sketch mocking Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa's anti-abortion campaign in 2007:

[Mike88]

Portugal update:

The government seems likely to announce the closure of schools during tomorrow.

[Mike88]

Portugal update:

The government seems likely to announce the closure of schools during tomorrow.

It's now official: In the 3rd change of lockdown restrictions in one week, Costa will announce today the closing of all schools by Friday.

[Mike88]

Portugal update:

The government seems likely to announce the closure of schools during tomorrow.

It's now official: In the 3rd change of lockdown restrictions in one week, Costa will announce today the closing of all schools by Friday.

Costa just announced that all schools will be closed for 15 days; no homeschooling will be implemented during this period; all non urgent matters will be suspended in Courts; some public services will close while others will only be available by appointments.

The Catholic Church in Portugal has also announced that masses and other religious activities will be suspended. 

[Mike88]

Portugal now the worst affected country on the planet (ignoring Gibraltar) in terms of cases.

UK, Portugal and Czechoslovakia with the highest deaths per capita.

Worldometers data for the 21st January

top cases
Andorra 121,279 per million
Gibraltar 115,214  " "
Montenegro 90,745 " "
Czech 85,579 " "
San Marino 83,395 " "

top deaths
San Marino 1,913 per million
Belgium 1,771 " "
Gibraltar 1,752 " "
Slovenia 1,580 " "
Czech 1,405 " "

According to Our World in Data website, Portugal is at the top:
https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus

And yeah, there's no words to describe the current situation in Portugal right now.