“For the first time, the number of recovered [917] is higher than the number of deaths [762]”, Stated the Secretary of State for Health, António Sales, after reading the numbers of the epidemiological bulletin released today by the Directorate-General for Health.
António Sales indicated that the country continues to “increase its testing”. Since March 1, 274 thousand diagnostic tests have been carried out, 70% of which were carried out in April. And he said that on Friday, the 17th, it was “to date the day when more tests have been carried out since the outbreak in Portugal started: about 14,500 processed samples”, he said.
The official specified that 49.5% of the tests were carried out in public establishments, 45.2% in private establishments and 5.4% in other laboratories.
However, he stresses that “we remain in a State of Emergency and it is never too much to mention and praise the responsible attitude of most Portuguese. But we could not let fear win. Child vaccination is crucial. Portugal has managed to achieve high rates over the years coverage, “said the Secretary of State for Health.
“Even though we are going through a difficult period and time, parents should not postpone the vaccination of their children, otherwise Portugal will face an outbreak of other preventable infectious diseases with potentially serious consequences later,” he concluded.
António Lacerda Sales guaranteed that “the SNS is prepared to respond”, stressing that “this is a moment of responsibility and not of regression in collective achievements”.
Parliament has conditions to receive the 25th of April
Asked about the celebration of April 25 in parliament, the director-general of Health replies that the date “was important enough for everyone as a people to deserve a commemorative event”.
“The parliament itself took all necessary and sufficient measures necessary to comply with the rules that are established for events of this type. Yesterday, a very quiet meeting took place, where in fact it was being observed whether they were fulfilled – as would be expected by the contingency plan of the parliament – all the conditions that make it possible to ensure the ceremony, with the dignity that the ceremony deserves “, explained Graça Freitas to journalists.
The return of the football championship
Another of the questions raised was the intention of the League of Clubs to resume games – behind closed doors – in June. The director-general of Health indicated that this is a subject that will have to be analyzed in the coming days.
“It has to be analyzed in the coming days between the League itself, in view of the norms and rules that the DGS has instituted for the general population. And again I say again that we have rules, we have rules. Then we have to see how it is that these norms and rules apply in practice to avoid what you said [alude ao jornalista que fez a questão]: that there is an increased risk of spreading contagion and people’s disease “, he said.
Increase for health professionals will only occur in May
Doctors, nurses, assistants, among others, will not receive the increase that will start to be paid to civil servants this month. For these health professionals, their salary receipts will only show this increase in May due to a computer error. On this subject, the Secretary of State for Health said that this is a “complex” situation and that the explanation has “several dimensions”.
“The Ministry of Health has 137,273 workers – in addition to the service providers. The salary process is done through a platform – RHV – which is also a very complex platform”, he said.
Then he listed the variables to take into account (such as shifts or overtime) for health professionals, as well as the “different” work regimes in which they operate. In other words, these are situations that require “parameterization tests” to ensure the security of what is the maturity of these professionals.
He also explained that workers at the Ministry of Health receive their wages on the 21st and that these data are normally processed until the 14th – in this particular situation, in April. Thus, António Lacerda Sales notes that the decree-law that provides for the increase in the civil service came out on March 20 and that “for that reason there were no great conditions from a technical point of view, given the complexity of this matter, so that they could be done the necessary changes with the security that this problem has, with the sensitivity that this issue deserves “.
Extra compensation or risk allowance for healthcare professionals at the front line
One of the questions raised contemplated the possibility of extra compensation or risk subsidy for health professionals who are currently at the forefront of fighting the pandemic. The government’s response was that, at the moment, “it is not the right time to ponder this issue” and that it is a difficult time for most Portuguese.
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