TOURISTS WHO TEST ON ARRIVAL WILL NOT WAIT FOR LABORATORY RESULTS

Tobi Hughes·
News Blog

Just proof that they have no plan, and no idea what they doing.

Pedro Ramos, regional secretary for Health and Civil Protection, announced that as of July 1, tourists who arrive in Madeira without a negative result for covid-19 will have to perform the test, but will be able to follow their normal route without knowing the result of the laboratory test.

The regional secretary says that the results will be known in 12 hours, but until then there will be no restrictions on anyone visiting or returning to Madeira.

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Tobi Hughes

56 Responses

  1. Please tell me of a good plan that is currently in place in Europe/World? I’m sure if it is really a good plan Madeira Govt will just copy it. So, is it Japan? Cyprus? Greece? Malta? Canary Islands? Would like to here what you think of their plan, compare to the Madeira one, tell us the pros and cons, and say why this is “not a plan”.

    1. There is no plan, the last 9 weeks have been a waste of time, let’s just get on with normal life, far more people will die from the mess of the lockdown than the virus itself.

  2. This, what you say, is beyond belief. Why have we been two and a half months in lock-down to then have visitors with or with out symptoms or test wandering around the island?
    Now is the time to leave and go somewhere sensible.
    No-one with out a negative test a short time before they arrive should be allowed on the plane that brings them here.
    Richard Greaves.

  4. This is absolutely crazy …. we have been couped up here for weeks, been pushed and shoved my security in shops to stand metres apart . Been challenged by police to stop travel around the island and now … they are to let people in to swan about …. Tobi this is madness I thought only UK Governments made these types of decisions

  5. Sorry, this should have read…..
    Another crazy decision. Especially for the health of the islanders.

  6. Is there some legal reason that people cannot be detained until the results are available? The only justification for this that I can see is if the island is being forced to operate this way legally.

  7. This person printed your masks on a 3D-printer. What do you want from him? I would like to look at the level of education of people who consider themselves to be a “government”

  8. How absolutely ridiculous. Why have we isolated for 9 weeks to ensure we do not spread the virus on our beautiful island. We want everyone who arrives to have the test before they get on the plane. Who would want to travel on a plane with people who could possibly have the virus and what will happen to everyone on the plane if someone tests positive? We need the tourist to help the locals como my but not at this cost. Let’s hold tight on regulation to keep islanders safe.

    1. No let’s open up and get on with life, cyes the last 9-10 weeks have been a total waste of time and just shows that they closed the island down quick to prevent the spread that worked well, but now they have no clue to what they are doing.

  9. Richard, I assume you are a not a native Madeiran depending on tourism to pay for the very basic things, food, education, but one of the we, who have an income that is not dependent on tourists. Many, like myself have been coming for many years and have seen the island develop and know how much the very life of the Islanders depend on tourism. I remember a Madeiran telling me how he had two children and could afford to educate them. I was impressed with his grip on reality. Carry on without re-opening up the Island to tourism and you are pushing Madeira back to the 50’s when the only export were waiters and domestics. If you think now is the time to leave, do so.

    1. Yes well said, all these comments about not opening up are probably from people on pensions etc, who is doesn’t affect, and just thinking of their selves

  10. George, I think everyone wants to open the island for tourism, but we also want checks to be made before the tourist steps foot on the island so that the virus transfer can be at least mitigated. If the virus takes hold on our small island, the tourists will stay away for months. For everyone’s sake checks should be made and confirmed prior to the flight. This would help safeguard fellow passengers and the island residents. Nothing is perfect, but we have to limit the risks.

  11. To bad .waste of timt all those months staying home .hope that things go well that they don’t bring the virus back there.just saying.best of lucky.??????

  12. Nigel, We both agree. I think Portugal and Madeira’n Authorities have done a magnificent job, But you are asking for the world to get together and agree a huge raft of legislation that ensures testing is both completed and verified prior to take off before flying to Madeira. Meanwhile your Bartender, Waiter, Room Cleaner and their children are going short. Please remember Government Aid in the UK if far more generous than Madeiras.

  13. As usual, get two politicians together and you end up with three opinions!

  15. Portugal and Madeira have both done a ‘magnificent job’ if it was their plan all along to remain isolated. Sadly this is not an economic reality. Madeira and the mainland both depend massively on travel and tourists. If the Portuguese were waiting for a vaccine, this was a hollow request as I am afraid a vaccine will not be forthcoming in the short term, if at all. I have been moaning about this for some time – all the restrictions on movement, mandatory masks is all completely pointless. Virtually nobody in Madeira has been exposed to the virus – and therefore by extension, nobody is immune! The press and government reactions (not just here, but pretty much everywhere) have done a great job in scaring people witless over something that they have virtually no control, and in any event, is extremely unlikely to kill you if you get it – unless you are medically vulnerable, in which case common or garden flu would do the same thing. Looking at the stats, a bad case of Winter Influenza can kill 650,000 people worldwide – around twice who have succumbed to Covid. I still therefore don’t understand why, in this case, the reactions have been so extreme. When this is all over, it will be interesting to see the ‘governmental/statistical autopsies’ to see the reporting accuracy. I have read many, many misguided comments on this blog and elsewhere. Someone called aircraft ‘metal coffins’ once. I was shocked – if people really think that’s the case, they should not travel ever. I have flown many times – I would imagine that on every flight someone on the plane is ill, with a cold/flu or something. Do I get ill after every flight? Of course not. Does everyone on the plane therefore? No – its just rubbish. But this does appear to be the mentality of a large number of people.

  16. Like many have said, the damage caused by the restrictions is 100 times worse than any health risks associated with the « pandemic ».
    Stupid/illogical decisions by authorities show that either there is no plan, or the plan is not what we think.

  17. I have an idea that might please everyone , because at present Covid-19 is still rife in the World why not ask the Madeiran Government to bring in a VISA style entry I.e , anybody flying to Madeira must produce at check in before there flight or forward an e.mail to the airline a copy of a negative test taken within 72hrs , otherwise they will not be able to fly . The airline could then forward all test results to Madeira Airport before the flight departs .

  18. Who ever asks for the tests upfront: it is still impossible to get tested as you wish right before the flight.
    It is not about the money, the 150-200€ for the test are not that much for a tourist who is not going for the cheapest hotel in Turkey etc. It is about NOT HAVING OPTIONS to get tested. You have to be sick, in close contact to an infected (traceable) or work in a critical role to get tested, otherwise you sit at home if you feel slightly sick and just chill for 2 weeks without any tests.
    As a healthy person it is nearly impossible to find a test and even if you manage, it will be god knows where and not where you live or where the airport is.

    So yeah testing at arrival is correct and of course you do not detain people unless they are actually tested positive!

    We want to come back and spend some time and money there and nobody will do so if the island will not let people fly as they stand and test at arrival etc.

  19. Colin that’s a fair idea but legally Madeira can’t police what happens at other departure airports.

  20. There were 90 cases of COVID19 of which 4 came from Dutch nationals and 86 from Português through importation and also contagion due to a few infected people flouting quarantine rules. There is no evidence that any tourist (4) created any contagion.

    In Sweden 0,04% of the total population died from Covid19 and in the 2011/12 Flu season 0,009%

    In the UK 0,05% of the total population (35,000) have died from Covid19 and in the 2018/19 flu season 0,025% (17,000) however the deaths from the next flu season will be lower as people with poor health have maybe already died from existing health issues or Covid19.

    In Portugal 5,840 died from Pneumonia 0,0568% of the total population in 2018/19. The 2019/20 deaths will be a bit lower as some that died from COVID19 might die from pneumonia anyway.

    In Portugal between 14th-16th January 2020 1,390 died from influenza (AH3) so more people died in three days than the three months of COVID19 and the lockdown.

    In Portugal in the 2018/19 flu season 3,331 died 0,032%
    and in 2017/18 3,700 died 0,035% of the population.

    In Portugal 1,383 people have died from Covid19 which is 0,0134% of the total population

    Most of those that died have been older and with underlying health conditions for example obesity, respiratory conditions, diabetes, kidney issues and many other conditions which are widely published.

    Calculating numbers you have a far higher chance of death from pneumonia or influenza than Covid19 in all three diseases. If you are already in poor health your chances of death are much higher than a fit person.

    Locking down entire countries based on the death rate per case rather than the overall death rate of the population is bizarre. It’s absolutely proven that not everyone who is exposed with the virus becomes sick e.g on cruise ships not everybody contracted the virus although 100% were expose to it and the total death rate was low.

    If you are one of the 99,9% of the population that did not die from Covid19 this year you might very well die from influenza or pneumonia later this year or be one of the 801 who died in road accidents in Portugal in 2017 0,0077% of the total population.

    Some of the dead have had health conditions that would have killed them sooner rather than later and unfortunately COVID19 maybe got there first but conversely if the same person had died from influenza, pneumonia or died in a road accident it would not have resulted in lockdown, panic and fright.

  21. If they wanted its possible to get a test done in 20-30 minutes and cost less than 33€, on a mass scale.
    Thats how long and what it costs in Copenhagen Airport. Prices are usually not cheap in Denmark, so why all this reluctance other places to get things moving with as least fuss possible.

    Considering 15 million die of hunger and millions from obesity every year is it worth cancelling all other important Medical procedures and doom millions to poverty because of a flu like Disease.

    Then of course, that lowers wages and lets Central Banks print without having to fear inflation.

    Never waste a crises, however small its all about perception mangement

  22. Interesting comments. The reality is that the entire world will now walk a tightrope between a dreaded second spike of CV and economic ruin until a vaccine and/or treatment are available. I do think there must be room for sensible compromise in the form of airport testing and social distancing measures that can mitigate the worst case scenario of exponential infections. Test results can be made available in 20 minutes now. Madeira has the advantage over other European destinations in that it’s tourists are mostly mature, cautious and mostLy willing to cooperate with the rules (I know there are exceptions) Just getting on with it regardless and locking down for longer are both routes to future misery for Madeira. Trust us, the tourists to do the right thing. Tell us the rules for coming on holiday to your island and as long as they are reasonable we will follow them. Let’s work together on this.

  23. If you look to the most important European countries and look to there covid statistics you see that the change that there will be covid positief people on a plane is 0.00111 %. So don’t worry.

  24. One of the main reasons Covid19 has caused widespread problems is that it spreads quickly and can make some (not all) people very ill with respiratory issues needing hospital attention. It is the hospital attention that is causing widespread concern amongst governments across the world, they simply couldn’t cope if dealt with the same way as seasonal flu.

    There are many holiday destinations that rely on tourism as their main income and therefore it’s essential to make travel to ALL destinations safe. The best way to get Air travel back up and running is to have testing at the departing airport so that nobody on that aircraft has Covid and can spread it in a close environment.

    As stated in earlier posts, this can be achieved within 20/30 mins, surely the cost of mass screening will make it viable to do and the only way to keep places like Madeira safe.

    Let’s hope sense prevails and we can come visit in the near future.

  25. The real issue that is plainly evident is that the world has become too FAT… this is the real pandemic that has made this virus so much worse, as it does with cancers, diabetes etc etc .. One of the reasons why African continent hasn’t exploded with cases is that they on the whole don’t have an obesity issue. We have become too politically correct to recognise obesity is the real killer here.

    The vulnerable should do as they have over the last nine weeks if they are scared witless and stay at home whilst those who will likely have mild symptoms should keep calm
    and carry on.

    I can’t believe we have all sacrificed our freedoms and liberty so lightly without question and are now happy to cause even more financial harm… poverty kills !

    We are so fortunate here in the UK have been given the lifeline of £2500 per month if furloughed and haven’t been able to work, most people don’t want to go back to work who would, this is not a luxury that Madeira has and normal folk need to get on with picking up the pieces from a lockdown which was questionable anyway. I doubt any politicians or government will ever hold theirs hands up and say we did it wrong, they were like sheep running off a cliff, and the press have a lot to answer for.

  27. Tobi, how can you say that the last 9 weeks have been a waste of time. have you seen the figures from Madeira compared to the rest of the world?

  28. Correct Tobi. The low numbers in Madeira is because Madeira has not seen Covid yet! It has been easy for Albuquerque to close down the island and prevent arrivals. This is the beauty of being on a rock 300 miles from anywhere. Unfortunately in doing so he has created a tourist wasteland, and thousands of people, friends of mine from taxi drivers to restaurant and bar owners have had zero income. All for what exactly? And the countermeasures has had and will have a severe impact on people’s perception of others and their idea of what is ‘safe’. Kids will be brought up in an environment where their parents do not want them to touch anything or go anywhere. Every surface in every public area will be bleached/disinfected within an inch of its life. The media has massively hyped this up, and governments have made it worse! The world has gone totally mad. There are used gloves and masks chucked everywhere here on the mainland – probably the case in Madeira too. People wear masks in the car, on their own. We saw a woman leaving a beach in a plastic visor yesterday. What on earth do these people think they are protecting themselves from? You can only catch it (or any disease!!) from someone who has it!!!! If you are on your own you are clearly safe!

    1. Totally agree, we see them on their own in cars here with madks, and there is virtualky nothing on the island, its pathetic. I have more chance of winning the lottery than getting covid-19.

  29. You sound like you would have preferred people to have died Tobi!!!! I can’t agree with you. Time to leave the blog I think. It has been useful during the lockdown but I can’t agree with its ideas and morals.

  30. Its an inescapable fact that people will die. The issue being debated is how much do you destroy the country in order to attempt to control the spread. Blame for this disastrous situation lies firstly with the Chinese, secondly with the WHO. Given that we cant go back in time, we have to accept that the virus is here and exists. There is no vaccine nor is there likely to be. So what do we do – stay inside, lock the doors, wear masks, close hotels/restaurants/golf clubs everything? Sadly, that wont help…. the virus needs to be allowed to spread – that’s the sad fact. Locking everything down maybe saves a few lives in the short term but just prolongs the agony for all.

    1. Exactly, and we will never know how things would go if we had never closed down all over the world, the governments, the WHO just shit the life out of everyone for no reason probably.

  31. Tobi…..a wonderful ageist comment about people on pensions not caring…..I didn’t realise all the people not on pensions were scientific and statistics experts but we live and learn.Only 1 in 200 people in the UK is estimated to have the virus…but the virus kills……..would you go into a shop knowing that 1 in 200 was carrying a gun and is prepared to kill you, because that is what a person with the virus can do if they come too close.I love Madeira and weep for the people not earning but this is where the Government steps in and spends the money on people and not weapons

  32. Don’t slam the door on the way out Ian!

    How much longer do people expect the lockdown to on for? A year? Two years? A decade?

    Time to be realistic and wind it down bit by bit.

  35. YES, we need to open up to tourists again but let’s be sensible about how to achieve a sustainable economy .
    Checks prior to departure are the answer, this needs to be mandatory from all departure points.
    The uk are now considering this to enable no quarantine required on returning to uk by uk holiday people.
    If we are to keep this virus under control, adopt this simple solution, otherwise risk a plane load of people infecting you.
    This plan is total nonsense and before those of you say your not a Madeiran, no I am not but I live here and I am entitled to my opinion.
    You only need common sence, dont spoil the ship for a apath of tar? 9/10 weeks of suffering by all on the Island and hard work from all our great .medical and emergency services down drains if this no testing till arrival goes ahead.

  36. I haven’t gone yet Tobi, Just waiting to see if you’re going to make your mind up – are you for the end of lockdown or not. Your comments above appear to be very contradictory. First you slam the government for opening up the airport and then you say tourist need to be allowed in so that people can earn. What do you actually want?

    1. Yes we need to open up now, enough is enough. The government don’t really know what they are doing. They wanted to protect the island, but now they are letting all in and not worried about the test results, and it’s time to get on with life. Far more will die from hunger, suicide, hospital appointments, no work, no money, and everything else than this virus, that has hardly killed any compared to the world population. Let’s just hope they realise what a huge mistake they have made.

  37. Tobi I was ‘testing’ to see if my message would get through as several times I tried to reply to someone but it kept saying my email address is blocked. Nevermind.

  38. Tobi, I can’t reply to your specific post, the blog wont let me do that anymore, but in response to your reply to me, isn’t that exactly what the government are now doing. They are opening things up. They have no choice but to let tourists move around after their test before knowing the result. What is the alternative, lock them up until they get the result. If they did that no one would travel to Madeira. We need tourists to come back so we have to trust them that they will behave sensibly until they get the result of their test. If we make too many demands, that they have to have a negative test before they travel, that they have to quarantine here before they get the result etc etc, they simply won’t come here. I agree that we need to open up and get tourists back but I cannot agree that the government don’t know what they are doing. I think that they have done a pretty good job here, certainly compared with places like the UK and USA. I think they have little option but to trust tourists to be sensible in order to entice them back to Madeira.

  39. So many things to say – difficult to know where to start. Alan makes some comments about science and statistics experts, then proves that he is clearly not one. For a start, well in excess of the 1 in 200 number he quotes in the UK have or have had Covid. Most (the overwhelming majority) are asymptomatic displaying no symptoms. Of those that do display symptoms, most have a mild attack of flu. The problems for those that die is that their flu becomes pneumonia, and for those with difficulties breathing in the first place this can be fatal without ventilation. I would say (not being an expert, but one who reads a lot, has a biology background and like to think has some common sense) that 2/3rds of those that have died were going to die very soon anyway (to quote Dr Ferguson). Of the remaining third, most would have a number of pre-existing conditions. There will be some that for whatever reason do die for which there is no explanation. That number is however very small indeed.

  40. One thing that is massively apparent being in Portugal is one of ‘compliance’. The UK is the antithesis of compliance and sadly the ‘left’ will always, always disagree with a right wing government, The opposite is also true. When the government gives a direction, the ‘other side’ questions and opposes. Schools going back – councils/unions disagree. Not a great surprise. Boris made a massive early error but not making an attempt to get Corbyn on board. It is totally different in Portugal. Even though the President and the Prime Minister are on different political sides, they always back each other up and sing from the same sheet. The population are also much more ‘obedient’ – even though it drives me nuts, if they are told to wear masks, they do it. No visible dissent.
    One of the main reasons for Madeira’s ‘slackening’ of its rules (designed to keep tourists out) is money. The Portuguese are refusing to bail out Madeira again. Since the cash is stopping, they have no choice other than to open to tourism. If Albuquerque owned hotels I suspect he would have taken a different stance from the off….

  41. Look at the Numbers ….

    You have 0.035% of the total Portuguese population due from flu and 0.01% from Covid19

    In Sweden 0,04% of the total population died from Covid19 and in the 2011/12 Flu season 0,009% with no lockdown.

    In the UK 0,04% of the total population (30,000) have died from Covid19 and in the 2018/19 flu season 0,025% (17,000)

    In Portugal 5,840 died from Pneumonia 0,0568% in 2018/19

    In Portugal between 14th-16th January 2020 1,390 died from influenza (AH3)

    In Portugal in the 2018/19 flu season 3,331 died 0,032%
    and in 2017/18 3,700 died 0,035% of the population.

    In Portugal 1,383 people have died from Covid19 which is 0,0134% of the total population

    1. My points exactly – but don’t worry Antony, nobody will believe you or the numbers. The lockdown/preventative measures are creating chaos/fear/hatred/poverty for no medical reason that I can see…. unless anyone can tell me different.

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