NEW RESTRICTIONS IN MADEIRA WITH LITTLE CONTROL AND APPEAL TO CIVIC CONSCIENCE

The first day of new containment measures for covid-19 in Madeira is proceeding relatively normally. Although with little supervision by the establishments, the influx to some of the testing points in Funchal is significant.

The Lusa agency found at various establishments in Funchal that the entry of customers was taking place without control, by security guards, of the vaccination certificates and the covid-19 test.

In some supermarkets and large shopping centers, Lusa noted, however, that the verification of the test or vaccination certificate was being carried out. In these places the turnout was large, but the entrance was made without long lines.

On the other hand, some of Funchal’s covid-19 testing points registered a great turnout, around 12:00, namely in the hotel area, where there were around 100 people, namely tourists, in a huge queue to test the Covid-19.

The Government of Madeira (PSD/CDS-PP) decreed new restrictive measures, which came into force at 00:00 on the 20th, including the obligation to present a vaccination certificate or negative antigen test to access most of the enclosures public and private.

However, since today, the presentation of just one of the proofs (vaccination or rapid test) remains only to access supermarkets and grocery stores, public transport, pharmacies and clinics, churches and other places of worship, and to carry out urgent acts related to Justice and use of other essential services (such as postal services, municipal services or fuel supply).

To enter sports venues, restaurants, hairdressers, hotels, gyms, bars and clubs, cultural events, cinemas, night activities, games, casinos and other similar social activities, it is mandatory to present both the vaccination certificate and proof of test.

The mandatory submission of tests involves the possibility for citizens to carry out quick tests free of charge every seven days, during which time the results are considered valid.

In statements to the Lusa agency, the president of the Funchal Commercial and Industrial Association (ACIF) highlighted today that these measures “are recommendatory”, therefore inspection is of a supervision and not a “punishment” nature.

Jorge Veiga França indicated that, from the feedback he received today, security guards are complying with the norms of “mandatory use of masks, disinfection and distance”.

As for the inspection of certificates and tests, he noted that “it is a very heavy burden in some cases”.

“To what extent are entrepreneurs who are already in complicated situations going to risk losing their customers due to an inspection that they believe is not within their competence?”, he asked.

The president of ACIF underlined that “there must be civic awareness, more than forcing guards to assume a supervisory role”, adding that some traders have advised and appealed to citizens to comply with the rules.

In front of the Quinta Vigia – the official residence of the President of the Regional Government – ​​there were about a hundred demonstrators protesting against the new restrictive measures.

On Friday, Madeira registered one death and 101 new cases of covid-19, bringing the number of active situations to 651. In the region’s hospitals, according to the most recent daily epidemiological bulletin, there were 61 patients hospitalized, five in the intensive care unit dedicated to covid-19.

From Jornal Madeira