Of the 284 passengers who disembarked this morning at Madeira Airport on two flights from Lisbon and Porto, 156 had to be tested on arrival, on the first day of validity of the new system for controlling the entry of people into the Region within the scope of the Covid pandemic. -19. The remaining 128 passengers were exempted from the procedure and followed the ‘green line’, either for bringing the result of a test carried out in the last 72 hours or for meeting exceptional conditions (for example, children).
The first assessment of the new control system was positive, both on the part of the authorities and on the part of the passengers, who were offered some offers (flowers, fennel candy, bananas and masks) from the services of the Secretariat of Tourism. The simultaneous arrival of two flights, just after 9 am, led to the formation of a queue with a few dozen people on the ‘blue line’ (passengers who were going to be tested at the airport). The last people had to wait about an hour in line, but still gave a positive note to the procedure.
“So far the situations have been peaceful. It is natural that there may be more or less satisfied people, but people must realize that the current rules are that whoever enters the Region must have a test ”, said the President of the Institute of Health Administration (IASAÚDE), Herberto Jesus, who accompanied the disembarkation and routing of passengers.
More than 200 professionals from different services are linked to the new passenger control system, not only from IASAÚDE but also from SESARAM and the Madeira Promotion Association. Between 60 and 70 professionals must be at the Airport at all times. “This is a pioneer. Madeira Airport is the only place where this mega structure is done. This is a very big effort by the Region to guarantee the safety of those who reside and those who visit us ”, said Herberto Jesus.
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