So far only one death has been recorded in a new outbreak of Covid-19 in an old people’s home where all residents and staff have been fully vaccinated (and passed the statutory 14-day period post second jab).
These stories are coming here and there throughout Portugal and the wider world in practically every locationwhere vaccination levels are considered ‘good’.
Authorities’ response is always that “these vaccines do not confer 100% protection” – but that many more lives have been saved in this pandemic as a result of them.
Portugal’s latest outbreak is in the Misericórdia de Proença-a-Nova, in the Castelo Branco district, and has seen 127 people infected (this number varies according to different reports).
Mayor João Lobo has admitted that “the origin of the outbreak is unknown”. Bearing in mind that has been clearly established by events and various studies that fully-vaccinated people can still contract SARS-CoV-2 and spread it, it is very possible that the origin will remain unknown.
For now we have not been given the age of the resident who died, nor any details of his medical history. All that has been revealed is that he was receiving oxygen but died this morning.
Local online Diário Digital Castelo Branco reports that most of the upcoming weekend’s public events have been cancelled as a precaution.
Twenty two of the positive tests for the virus relate to workers in the care home, 105 to residents in a universe of 140.
