Editorial from Portuguese local news:
“Esta é uma luta pela nossa própria sobrevivência.” Foi desta forma que o primeiro-ministro resumiu a situação excecional que vivemos, na sua comunicação ao País. As próximas semanas vão ser difíceis. Teremos de reorganizar as nossas vidas para travar a progressão pandémica deste coronavírus que...
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Translated (slightly edited for clarity):
"This is a fight for our own survival." It was in this way that the Prime Minister summed up the exceptional situation we are experiencing, in his communication to the country. The next weeks will be difficult. We will have to reorganize our lives to halt the pandemic progression of this coronavirus which - to be clear once and for all - kills up to 26 times more than the flu virus.
It is a new virus, which can mutate and become even more dangerous and resistant, as some studies already indicate. The progression of the disease in Europe is surpassing all estimates, with more than a thousand deaths in Italy in one week. We are in unknown territory.
At this time, it is essential to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 and avoid the concentration of many cases of lung infection in a short period of time, to keep hospitals functional.
Therefore, and it never hurts to repeat, if you have symptoms you should not go to the health center or hospital, but call the Health 24 line (808 24 24 24). Going to the hospital could put hundreds of people and medical teams at risk if you are really infected.
Against Covid-19 we have three powerful weapons. Let us make use of them.
1. Social isolation. So yes, it is necessary to close schools, clubs, gyms and cancel all public events until Easter. And avoid leaving the house. It will be necessary to go buy food, assist a family member or neighbor, solve a problem. But these are not the times to take children to play in the garden, to go to the cafe or to stroll in the shopping center. Many will have to keep working but everyone who can stay at home should do so. Whenever you leave home, think that you may be putting your health and that of others at risk.
2. Hygiene. Wash your hands several times a day and avoid touching your face (eyes, nose, mouth), frequently disinfect bathrooms and kitchens, clean door handles, television controls, computer keyboards, mobile phone screens, etc. with alcohol.
3. Information. Keep up with the recommendations of the Directorate-General for Health. Don't believe rumors published on Facebook, WhatsApp chains, secrets that run by email. Choose one, two, three professional media outlets that deserve your trust, and keep an eye on them. Reliable information is a beacon in these dark times.
In times of crisis, human beings reveal the best and the worst in themselves. In the coming days, many professionals, like the journalists in this newspaper, will have to go out to work. From the doctor who will do double shifts in the emergency room to the farmer who continues to ensure that we have fresh produce in the supermarkets, from the cook who feeds the elderly in the homes to the municipal employee who collects garbage on the streets. The best way to honor the effort they make, in addition to thanking them, is to stay home, if we can do it.
Let us take advantage of these exceptional times to also look more at ourselves and at others, valuing what is most extraordinary about the Portuguese people - their generosity."