On Friday, the Minister of Health announced that the government is preparing measures to control Covid-19 for travelers from China, to be implemented if necessary, dismissing “warnings” in the face of the recent increase in infections among the Chinese population.
“The Ministries of Health and the Department of Home and Foreign Affairs are preparing to adopt measures at airports to control travelers from China, which will be implemented if and when necessary.”Agency Losa Manuel Pizarro.
According to the minister, the government is monitoring the development of the COVID-19 virus in China, which is a “cause for concern”, and is maintaining “close dialogue with other European countries, particularly within the framework of the European Union and with international health bodies”.
According to Manuel Pizarro, there is only one direct weekly flight landing in Portugal from China, but the possibility of passenger control measures on flights with stops in other countries is being evaluated.
“It doesn’t make sense to force people to have frequent checks. If it becomes necessary to have that check, it makes sense to make sure that everyone is checked in at least one place, in which case it should be done in Portugal if it is not done in one place.” another, ”added the minister.
According to the official, the Ministry of Health is following this situation “with all caution and care, but there is no need for concern.”.
“Today we have a completely different situation than it was before. We have a vaccinated population, especially the vulnerable population, with a very high vaccination rate, and we have knowledge about the coronavirus that is completely different from previous knowledge,” he emphasized.
For Manuel Pizarro, the situation in Portugal “justifies attention, monitoring, informing and preparing, but nothing more than that,” claiming that at this point, “no alarmism would ever be warranted.”
The Minister of Health also confirmed that the Ricardo Jorge Institute continues to monitor the development of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes covid-19, and does not record “any news from the point of view of the serotypes of the viruses in circulation.”
“This is the monitoring that should always be carried out and will be carried out indiscriminately on passengers arriving from Chinese territory. This monitoring component forms an integral part of our monitoring program to ensure people’s safety,” the minister stressed.
Manuel Pizarro also reiterated the call for COVID-19 vaccination, noting that nearly three million people have already received a seasonal booster dose, and the use of a mask by anyone with a respiratory infection.
Today the European Commission acknowledged the “alarming” increase in COVID-19 cases in China and recommended monitoring measures, such as sequencing of samples, to Member States.
In a letter sent to the health ministers of 27 EU countries and quoted by Europa Press, the European Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides, said that Brussels is “attentive to developments”, and assumes that it is necessary to be prepared, despite the lack of common measures in place. present time.
The General Directorate of Health, in its weekly report on respiratory viruses, also recognizes that the increase in the number of daily cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in China in recent days is a situation that “must be closely monitored in the near future weeks.”
Italy and Spain have already announced that they will implement airport controls for travelers arriving from China.
“Hardcore alcohol maven. Hipster-friendly analyst. Introvert. Devoted social media advocate.”
