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“The information that the Government received on Wednesday, after meeting with epidemiologists, was considered very relevant and decisive for the decision, taking into account the growth of the British variant of the new coronavirus in Portugal,” an executive source told the Lusa agency. .
With this measure, the main objective of the Government, “is to isolate the entire school system”, since, “without classes, people are not forced to leave home.”
The details of the measures to tighten the general confinement will be communicated this Thursday at the end of the meeting of the Council of Ministers.
On Wednesday night, in a message he posted on social media, the Prime Minister said that the Government will analyze on Thursday information on the “alarming progression” of the epidemic in Portugal, that is, the growth of the British variant of the new. coronavirus, and “will decide accordingly” to “save lives.”
“We will meet the Council of Ministers, analyze all this information and decide accordingly, with the certainty that our priority is to save lives and control the pandemic,” wrote António Costa.
As soon as I arrived from Brussels, I met this emergency evening with the Ministers of @mpresidencia_pt, gives @saude_pt, gives @Educacao_PT what if @science_pt. We took stock of the alarming spread of the pandemic in #Portugal.# COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/upnl7mZMUq
– António Costa (@antoniocostapm) January 20, 2021
In his message, the executive leader said that as soon as he arrived from Brussels, where he had an agenda under the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, he met “in an emergency with the Ministers of State and the Presidency of Health, Education and Science and Higher Education “.
“We took stock of the situation regarding the alarming spread of the pandemic in Portugal. And we analyzed in detail the relevant information that epidemiologists shared with the Government today, that is, about the growth of the British variant of the virus in our country” added the Prime Minister.
Also this afternoon, in an interview with RTP, the Minister of Health, Marta Temido, admitted that the Government may already aggravate the measures to combat covid-19 on Thursday, with the closure of schools on the table.
On Tuesday, during the general policy debate in the Assembly of the Republic, António Costa admitted the possibility of closing schools if it is shown that the English variant of the new coronavirus, which is more contagious, is becoming dominant. in educational establishments.
“Right now, we are fighting to keep schools open, as we know the enormous social cost of closing them. Wednesday [hoje], we will initiate a campaign of rapid tests in all schools, with a view to strengthening security, “he said in response to the president of the PSD Parliamentary Group, Adão Silva.
Shortly after, however, the executive leader warned that, “if this week it is known, for example, that the English strain has become dominant in the country, it is most likely that they will even have to close schools.”
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