Speaking to the Lusa agency, the Mayor of Silves, Rosa Palma, said that the post for the screening of the disease “aims to remove from the health centre the users who are referred for analysis by the health authorities, as a measure to protect people and clinical professionals”.

The covid-19 checkpoint in Silves is the second to be installed in the district of Faro, after a centre next to the Algarve Stadium started operating on Monday, between the municipalities of Faro and Loulé.

"There was a need to create a specific post to facilitate collection and prevent the population of the municipalities of Silves and Lagoa from going directly to the health centre", said the mayor.

According to Rosa Palma, the centre will start operating “very soon”, in a tent installed next to the Silves health centre, under the coordination of public health authorities, for the moment, the model in which it will work is unknown.

"Everything is ready for its operation to start as soon as the public health authority understands it, whether in 'drive-thru' mode or another model," said the mayor.

The first centre to open in the Algarve works on a 'drive thru' model, that is, citizens do not need to get out of the car to carry out the test, with care provided through the vehicle window to cases referred by hospitals and the support line.