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A few days before the “Festa do Avante!”, The General Directorate of Health (DGS) finally revealed the technical opinion on the event that takes place this weekend in Quinta da Atalaia, Setúbal. And there is no room for a second reading: “The typology of the event implies different risks, not only because of the number of participants but also because of the characteristics, expected behavior, location of the event, duration, available activities, circulation circuits of people, epidemic situation, among other multiple criteria ”.
Allusions to the risks of contagion arise not once, not twice, but three times before the recommendations of “Come on!” Are published. The entity led by Graça Freitas writes that “the social component underlying the event causes a great mobility of the participants and proximity behaviors, with sharing tending to be inevitable, as well as the participation of members of several generations, which implies potential exposure of people belonging to the most vulnerable groups and SARS-CoV-2 virus “.
Later on, the obvious is assumed: “In the current context of the epidemic in Portugal and, in particular, in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, in a contingency situation, a real risk that during the event, infected people circulate, with or without symptoms. “
Maximum capacity of 16 thousand people, limited alcohol consumption and recommended use of a mask
To minimize the risk of contagion, the DGS understands that the venue can only receive 16,563 people at the same time, practically half of what the PCP suggested as indicated, 33,000 people at the same time.
“Based on the application of the precautionary principle in public health, the rule of maximum occupancy of one (1) person per 8 m2, in open spaces, and one (1) person per 20 m2, in closed spaces must be observed. counted according to each activity dedicated to a specific occupation ”, you can read.
On the other hand, the health authorities recommend “the use of a mask by all persons over ten years of age, throughout the premises, including the spaces for specific activities, during the entire time they remain in it, except for the applicable regulations. to catering and related spaces ”.
Alcohol consumption after 8 pm is also prohibited, unless it is during lunch. DGS also ends up going against the will of the PCP by defining that “spaces for shows must be organized in public, with seats” – the communists wanted the public to be standing at the “Festa do Avante!”
Crowds are also prohibited, that is, in areas with greater circulation, such as the entrances and exits of the enclosure – the PCP has the duty to guarantee the control of arrivals and entrances in the enclosure to avoid crowds of people.
To conclude, DGS also leaves a warning: “The unpredictability of the epidemiological evolution of covid-19 implies a continuous evaluation of risk and, depending on the level of risk determined, the reevaluation of the measures implemented, as well as their compliance.”
DGS cedes in all areas to Marcelo
After the President of the Republic censured the DGS for the delay in publishing the technical opinion on the “Festa do Avante!”, The entity led by Graça Freitas began by saying that it would not disclose the document because that was the responsibility of the PCP. This time, however, the health authorities withdrew across the board.
“The DGS recognizes that such technical opinions may, in certain circumstances, generate general interest, mainly due to the social relevance of some of the aforementioned events and the reinforced public health requirements that they demand, with inevitable repercussions on the expected social behavior on the part of the respective actors ”, he begins by acknowledging.
For this reason, and despite what I said initially, DGS now understands that it may be in the public interest to disseminate technical opinion. “In the context of the Festa do Avante !, the DGS considers that there is no impediment to the public disclosure of the Technical Opinion issued for this specific event, therefore, after having collected the agreement of the respective Organization, it gives access to the aforementioned technical document, through this press release ”, conclude the health authorities.
