“The Government, of course, regrets the decision, which is not based on facts and data that are known and public”, he said.
The head of Portuguese diplomacy said that he had fulfilled the agreement with the British government, namely in respect of five criteria in which the Portuguese epidemiological situation is considered to be “very positive”: testing capacity, lethality rate, reproduction rate, system response capacity and number of cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
“The British authorities were kind enough to inform us of the decision, but were unable to explain the scientific and technical fundamentals of the decision made,” stated Augusto Santos Silva.
If you disagree with the decision of the UK Government to continue to leave Portugal off the air bridge list, then click here to find details on how to sign a petition and lobby UK ministers.
WHO and Worldometer Data for each country for confirmed cases per week.
Portugal
Week ending 29/6/20 - 2380 cases
Week ending 6//7/20 - 2652 cases
Week ending 13/7/20 - 2169 cases
Week ending 20/7/20 - 760 cases
On 760 cases that is roughly 7.6 per 100,000 infection rate.
The Algarve is roughly 3 per 100,000 now.
Spain
Week ending 29/6/20 - 2589 cases
Week ending 6//7/20 - 4590 cases
Week ending 13/7/20 - 9016 cases
Week ending 20/7/20 - 8865 cases
On 8865 cases that is roughly 18.7 per 100,000 infection rate.
England
The ONS last figures for England is estimated at 2,800 new cases per day or 19,600 per week for the week ending 20/7/20 and also states that the current infection rate is 5.2 per 100,000.
As such the Algarve is less than England and the whole of Portugal is just above England with the most telling factor being that Spain is on and Portugal off even though Spain has a rising infection rate over the last three weeks and Portugal has declined.
As such Portugal is now 7.6 per 100,000 and Spain is 18.7 per 100,000 infection rate.
Your figures on the number of new cases does not correspond with the figures reported on the European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control. For the week ending 20th June their figures are reporting 2,124 cases, hence the UKs decision. Why the anomaly?
By Mr Ridge from UK on 25 Jul 2020, 10:24
I’m confused as to why Portugal aren’t on the list to not have to isolate in return to the UK!
If I choose to travel to Lisbon, if I take a Covid test prior to my return and it tests negative will I still have to isolate for 14 days?
Thanks
Ann
By Ann Jackson from UK on 25 Jul 2020, 12:02
A friend recently returned to the UK. She had increasingly aggressive calls purporting to be from the ‘quarantine agency’ because she refused to give her date of birth they eventually said they were sending the police. The police station when called had no knowledge of her. Scammers must have access to the forms returning UK citizens have to fill in. This is all really scandalous.
By Noely Worthington from Algarve on 25 Jul 2020, 14:03
I am a Brit living in Central Portugal. The people making these decisions are now losing credibility. The ban on Portugal should be lifted immediately ( if not sooner ).
By Roy Singleton from Other on 25 Jul 2020, 16:24
PARANOID BRITAIN. Are you wondering why 2 million British holiday makers cannot go to the safest holiday destination in Europe, the Algarve Portugal, which have had only 15 folks dying since the virus hit the country. And in the whole of Portugal as registered 167 per million folks die, and yet spain, 671 deaths per million, and at this very momement 4 million in total 4 lockdown in the Catalonia district plus lots of beaches now closed. And yet the uk government tell you it's ok to go there for a holiday. Why is that you might ask, well I believe because Portugal is the most environmentally friendly country in the world, and cleanest, with a very relaxed and low crime area in the whole of Europe, a fantastic place to bring up children, a superior health service, that the uk government dont want you to visit Portugal to see the quality of life here, because of what we all have learnt during the virus, is that a very large percentage of folks can work from home, so why not live in Portugal and still do your job, plus it's cheaper to fly from Portugal for the odd office meeting than taking a train from Reading to london, and because this is happening already, plus loads of companies have already moved from the uk to portugal because of Brexit. And the paranoid british government dont want you to see the jewel of europe in case you sell up and move there, especially as the Portuguese government have said that all brits moving here can have dual passports, Portuguese and British.
By KARL BLORE from Algarve on 25 Jul 2020, 17:34
You seem to be always whingers,instead of the political elite looking at what they caused by not shutting down the Lisbon region and other areas when they clearly knew the virus was getting out of hand,Instead they never did anything in fact exacerbated the virus by allowing everyone on the last public holiday June 10 and 11th to go where they wanted and do what they wanted without any control whatsoever,thus the political elite need to take responsibility as well for all the damage that this will do to Portugal and especially the Algarve.Moaning DONT solve anything,your actions could have saved this situation but like a lot of things let's blame someone else.ie UK. Get a grip Spain is across the road so look out.
By Robert Swabey from Algarve on 25 Jul 2020, 17:42
Clearly Portugal should be on the list. However, until the system of public transport in the Lisbon suburbs is improved, more buses and trains available to allow for social distancing and sanitising, tourism in the Algarve will remain hostage to a public transport solution that does not allow people to work and keep infection down. Augusto Santos Silva can complain, but it is not the British fault that the Algarve economy will fail - it is the failure to resolve the infection in Lisbon.
By Ann Charnock from Lisbon on 25 Jul 2020, 22:55
I have written to my MP Theresa Villiers former environment minister in the
Johnson government telling her that in her constituency Barnet in north London
where i live which has around the same population as the Algarve 400,000 There
have been more than 30 times more deaths from Corvid 19 than the Algarve!!
And Barnet is a leafy , prosperous outer London borough. We visited Salgados
in early July and saw that the Portuguese response to the virus was much better
than the UK. I also reminded Theresa Villiers that thank god the Portuguese
nurse who helped save Boris Johnson's life was not in isolation. We shall return
to your wonderful country in August. That's if the airlines are still flying.
By Mr B Bernstein from UK on 26 Jul 2020, 06:59
PORTUGAL IS CONSIDERED A POOR COUNTRY IN ITS SINCEREITY. THERE IS NOTHING THEY DO, JUST LIKE WE AFRICANS THAT CAN ERASE THAT PERCEPTION. IT IS JUST A MAN'S QUEST FOR SUPERIORITY AND DOMINANCE. THE WAY THE BRITISH ARE LOOKING DOWN ON THEM, IT'S THE SAME WAY THE PORTUGUESE ARE LOOKING DOWN ON AFRICANS. LIVE WITH IT, LIKE WE ARE DOING.
By PRINCE AWODIKE from Lisbon on 26 Jul 2020, 07:28
Keep portugal for the portuguese
The brits can just throw thier diseased money over the border.
By Patrick Connolly connolly Connolly3 from USA on 26 Jul 2020, 18:19
Dont blame the goverment for not adding Portugal to the list but yes the idiots that caused the uprise of the virus so thick they are. Im Portuguese by the way.
By Joe from UK on 26 Jul 2020, 20:16
Would be nice to know the scientific rationale of the UK government for leaving Portugal off it's list of accepted countries
Brian Siemens
By Brian R Siemens from Other on 26 Jul 2020, 20:25
I have seen on television many British tourists. I have also read of many British tourists visiting Portugal after lockdown permitted visitation. It is incomprehensible that Brotish does not treat the Portugese visitors in an amicable manner.
By Lenine Martin from Other on 26 Jul 2020, 23:16
Usually when a gov't makes a decision that is incomprehensible, it is politically motivated, which means, it's not in the best interest of its citizens, but rather the gov't. That being said, Mr. Blore makes a lot of sense. Almost half of voters didn't want Brexit....suppose many disgruntled are leaving along with their money. Portugal would be VERY appealing. And why are countries with worse infection rates allowed on the airbridge? Because the gov't is betting it's citizens won't want to go there.
By William from Other on 27 Jul 2020, 13:44
As Portugal has a Socialist government it would be seen that socialism not only works but works well ,especially in a pandemic
Tourism is responsible for almost 20% of Portugal’s GDP , over 2.5m British visit the country each year . The government continues to deny Portugal air bridge status in order to further destabilise both its economy and EU economy.
Wake up people .
By Sean Royle from UK on 30 Jul 2020, 09:04