COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal

The COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal was a part of the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). On 2 March 2020, the virus was confirmed to have reached the country when it was reported that two men, a 60-year-old doctor who travelled to the north of Italy on vacation and a 33-year-old man working in Spain, tested positive for COVID-19. On 16 March 2020, the first death from COVID-19 was reported in Portugal.
On 11 October 2020, the number of confirmed cases in Portugal exceeded the number of confirmed cases in China. On 19 October 2020, the number of confirmed cases in the country crossed the 100,000-mark. The number of confirmed cases in Portugal also crossed the 200,000-mark on 13 November 2020, the 300,000-mark at the beginning of December 2020, the 400,000-mark on 29 December 2020, the 500,000-mark on 13 January 2021, the 600,000-mark on 22 January 2021, the 700,000-mark on 30 January 2021, the 800,000-mark on 22 February 2021, the 900,000-mark on 9 July 2021 and the one-million-mark on 14 August 2021. On 2 March 2021, the first anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country was commemorated. It was six days after the number of confirmed cases in Portugal exceeded 800,000.
As of 24 October 2021, Portugal administered about 16.6 million doses; over 9 million people had received at least 1 dose and over 8.86 million people were fully vaccinated, 87% and 86% of eligible population, respectively.
The country underwent five waves of the pandemic, the last one being reported by the DGS in November 2021.
On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.
The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003, but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.
April
Information about the COVID-19 pandemic in the country is hosted on the DGS home website. However, due to the severity of the pandemic a separate website was created dedicated specifically to coronavirus information and updates under the Portuguese Ministry of Health. Another governmental website was later created to deal with more generic information explaining the emergency status, public information and exceptional measures to help business.
The Ministry of Health provides a web page with information for the public about different areas, including brochures, orientation and guidance for different activity sectors, how to deal with self-isolation, and quarantine games for children. As an example there are several Portuguese food recipes with canned food.
The following is a list of the front line COVID-19 hospitals.
In 2020, Portugal allocated €600 million per month to financial support for workers furloughed by their employers. Roughly €1.3 billion were allocated to incentivize a gradual reopening and return to economic activity, and €13 billion in lines of credit were extended to small and mid-size businesses. Tax and Social Security Contribution deferrals totaling €7.9 billion for companies and employees were enacted. The APOIAR Program was introduced, extending €.8 billion in loans to small businesses. As of March 12, an additional €296 million were allocated to improving the capacity of the National Health System.
The 2021 budget includes extension of support for businesses, including assistance with non-housing rents for some firms, with subsidies of up to 50% of rent being granted. Large companies in sectors of the economy hurt by the pandemic, namely the tourism sector, received €750 billion in loans and subsidies. On August 2, 2021, support available for businesses forced to remain closed via the APOIAR program was increased, with small businesses whose income declined by more than 50% being eligible for €41,250 in financial support. Moreover, a moratorium on repayment of business loans lasting six months was enacted, and subsequently extended until September 2021. In April, Portugal presented the Recovery and Resiliency Plan to the European commission, including €14 billion in grants and €2.7 billion in loans. The European Commission approved Portugal's Recovery and Resilience plan, adopting a positive assessment of the plan. As of May, the Portuguese government has announced a €6 billion plan to reactivate the tourism industry.
On April 30, 2020, the Portuguese Ministers' Council approved a plan to start releasing the country from COVID-19 containment measures and cancel the State of Emergency. The plan was divided in three stages, beginning respectively on 4 May, 24 May and 1 June 2020.
The first stage eased some restrictions, such as:
Due to movement restrictions imposed by the state of emergency started in March 18 and the adoption of government guidelines on social distancing by the Portuguese people, otherwise highly populated streets and destinations in cities like Lisbon and Porto were completely empty.
A study by the Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade do Porto (FPCEUP) aimed at "assessing the psychological health and social support networks" of LGBT+ young people who live with their parental figures during the COVID-19 pandemic concluded, based on a survey of 632 young LGBT+ people, who most did not feel comfortable in their families during confinement.
Of the people surveyed, 59% said they were uncomfortable in the family and three out of 10 felt "quite uncomfortable" living at home with parents during social confinement.
In addition, 35% of young people felt "suffocated" because they were unable to express their identity within the family, whereas in the case of young people whose family was aware of their identity, 35% stated that they "deal badly or very badly" thereby.
This study, with a longitudinal and intercultural character, also concluded that six out of 10 participants considered that the pandemic had "greatly" affected their lives.
With regard to social support networks, half of the young people admitted to feeling isolated from their friends and 35% "extremely isolated" from their partners.
"As for the present study, if for some young people the covid-19 pandemic had no impact on their social support networks, an important proportion felt quite isolated from their friends", says FPCEUP.
Portugal announced that it would distribute 5% of its vaccine doses to a group of former colonies in Africa and to the nation of East Timor. Portugal is entitled to 35 million vaccine doses in 2021. Donating 5% of its stock means the country would give 1.75 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, and East Timor. So far, they have committed to donate 1 million doses starting in July 2021.