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Ponta Delgada ,  May 16, 2020

Press Conference of the President of the Regional Government of the Azores

"Pursuant to the decision of the Judicial Court of Ponta Delgada, following the 'Habeas Corpus' petition to that court, the quarantine measure in a hotel unit determined by the Regional Health Authority for all passengers arriving in the Region from outside shall no longer have any practical effect.
 
 In the effective fight against the COVID-19 pandemic that has been taking place in our Region, the Government of the Azores considers that this is a potentially harmful decision to the protection of the public health of the Azoreans. It will exponentially increase the risk of spreading this disease, since there will be no longer the control that we consider to be the most effective to monitor the epidemiological situation of all those who arrive in the Azores.
 
In practice, the end of compulsory quarantines substantially increases the risk of new active transmission chains of the novel coronavirus, particularly on the islands of São Miguel and Terceira, which currently receive flights from outside the Region.
 
As in all decisions taken by individuals and institutions, this too has responsibilities and has consequences.
 
In this case, the consequence is the worst possible, because it prevents us from continuing a strategy which, until now, although with great sacrifice for people and institutions - and I am well aware of that! -has proved to be quite effective in reducing and containing the risk of the spread of this virus among the Azoreans.
 
The Government of the Azores, with due respect to the Court, disagrees with this decision. It considers a poor and dangerous decision for the health and, potentially, for the life of passengers arriving in the Azores, for the health and, potentially, for the life of their families and of those who contact with them, and for the health and, potentially, for the life of all Azoreans, especially those from the islands of São Miguel and Terceira.
 
But that is the Court's decision and, as it could not be otherwise, the Government of the Azores will abide by that decision.
 
However, let us not fool ourselves.
 
We are facing a major setback in the regional strategy to combat this disease, whose consequences are not limited to the risk to health and, potentially, to the lives of the Azoreans.
 
This decision may also jeopardise the already announced schedule for the lifting of restrictions that had been stipulated for the islands of São Miguel and Terceira, affecting workers and companies on these islands.
 
Likewise, this decision forces us to rethink the schedule that was already being worked on for the reopening of inter-island air and maritime links.
 
As of today, if we were to leave the matter here, nothing would prevent, for example, passengers infected with the virus, even without knowing it, from landing in the Azores, moving at will and contaminating, even if unconsciously, whoever came into contact with them.
 
In order to prevent this type of situation - to protect the health of the Azoreans and of those who live here - the Government of the Azores implemented the mandatory quarantines, which - it must be made clear - immediately protected the families of passengers who complied with this 14-day period of confinement.
 
This was not a whim of the Government of the Azores.
 
This decision was not taken, nor could it ever be taken in a context of normality and absence of risks to the health and, potentially, to the life of the Azoreans.
 
The exceptional basis of the measure is unquestionably rooted in the difficult situation we are currently facing, which is obvious in terms of danger to public health.
 
This was, in fact, an effective and feasible measure that has been adopted by a growing number of countries and territories. It was implemented in the Region only after we were refused several solutions for the prevention and epidemiological control of COVID-19.
 
On March 13, before the first positive case recorded in the Region, there was no practical development to the request made by the Government of the Azores for the effective reinforcement of the surveillance of passengers embarking to the Region at national airports.
 
On March 14, still without any positive cases, the formal request of the Government of the Azores for the suspension of flights to the Region was rejected.
 
On March 26, TAP (national air carrier), unlike before, no longer conditioned the boarding of passengers to the Region upon completion of the epidemiological screening survey that had been stipulated by the Regional Health Authority.
 
In view of these facts, which demonstrate the gradual and progressive approach of the Government of the Azores in this matter, only then were the mandatory quarantines to be carried out in hotel units determined. 
 
It is also imperative to recall that this measure has not been challenged publicly or legally until it was announced that its costs would have to be incurred by non-residents.
 
As soon as we realised the existence of these objections, we have undertaken, in a preventive and proactive way, various efforts for the preparation of a "plan B" to continue fulfilling, as best as possible, what we consider to be our most sacred duty: to defend the health and life of the Azoreans.
 
In the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, we are truly engaged in a life-or-death fight against a treacherous, invisible and silent enemy that knows no limits and no borders.
 
So far, we have been relatively successful with the best weapon we had.
 
Today, we are not allowed to fight against the same enemy with the best weapon we know.
 
Let me try to be as clear as possible:
 
These new procedures we are forced to adopt are not, in terms of the effectiveness of preventing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Azores, an alternative to the procedures that, by imposition of the Court, we are forced to abandon.
 
The measure that now ceases and the measure that will come into force are not equivalent.
 
In other words, the solution we are now announcing does not have the effectiveness of mandatory quarantine in hotels.
 
Both procedures are not the same and the Government has not opted for the first on a whim or futile exercise of authority.
 
The one that was now repealed was more effective in protecting the health and life of the Azoreans, but the Court decided that we could not do it.
 
The one we are going to begin, as of May 17, is not as effective as the first, but it is the best procedure that we envision and that we are forced to adopt following the Court's decision.
 
But let there be no doubt:
 
Within the reach of our powers, we have not deserted this fight, we have not given up and we have not lowered our arms.
 
We do not turn our backs on our fellow citizens in this difficult situation we all face.
 
Thus, the Council of the Government of the Azores, which met by video conference, has approved a Resolution that:
 
1- Declares, under the Legal Scheme on the Civil Protection System of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the situation of public disaster on the islands of São Miguel and Terceira, which maintain air links with Mainland Portugal, in order to prevent contagion and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
2- Determines that all passengers who arrive at the Ponta Delgada or Lajes coming from airports located in areas considered by the World Health Organisation as areas of active community transmission or with active transmission chains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are required to comply, alternatively, with one of the following procedures:
 
a) Submit a certificate, in paper form, issued by an accredited laboratory for COVID-19 testing, confirming that a screening test for SARS-CoV-2 has been carried out in the last 72 hours prior the departure of the flight from the airport of origin, with a negative result.
 
In case of staying for seven days or more, passengers must contact the health authority of the municipality where they reside or are staying on the 5th and 13th day from the date of the screening test for SARS-CoV-2, if the stay extends until that date or for longer, with a view to a new screening test for SARS-CoV-2 to be conducted by the Health Authority, whose result will be disclosed within 24 hours;
 
Alternatively, passengers may also choose:
 
b) Carry out a screening test for SARS-CoV-2 to be promoted by the health authority, with biological samples collected on arrival, and remain in prophylactic isolation at the hotel indicated for that purpose until the result of the negative test is obtained; the time period between the collection of samples and the disclosure of the test result should not exceed 48 hours.
 
Also in case of staying for seven days or more, passengers must contact the health authority of the municipality where they reside or are staying on the 5th and 13th day from the date of the screening test for SARS-CoV-2, if the stay extends until that date or for longer, with a view to a new screening test for SARS-CoV-2 to be conducted by the Health Authority, whose result will be disclosed within 24 hours;
 
Third alternative:
 
c) Carry out voluntary quarantine for a consecutive period of 14 days at a hotel indicated for that purpose, after which the Health Authority will determine the collection of biological samples and a screening test for SARS-CoV-2;
 
Fourth alternative:
 
d) Return to the destination of origin or travel to any destination outside the Region.
 
In cases where passengers choose to be tested or arrive in the Region with a negative test, they must comply with prophylactic isolation at their home or at the hotel unit where they are staying until the result of the test carried out on the 14th is known, should their stay in the Region extends for that period of time.
 
3- In case where the result of the test for SARS-CoV-2 is positive, the health authority, within the scope of its powers, shall determine the procedures to be followed.
 
4 - Should the passenger refuse to comply with all the stipulated procedures, the health authority may, within the scope of its powers, determine the mandatory quarantine for a consecutive period of 14 days at a hotel defined for this purpose, and the costs of this quarantine shall be charged to the passenger.
 
This decision shall be subject to validation by a judge within 24 hours.
 
In short, four options are given to passengers arriving in the Azores from Sunday onwards: travel with a negative test carried out prior to departure; undergo a test upon arrival in the Region and wait for the result; or comply with a voluntary quarantine period of 14 days at a designated hotel unit; or return to the destination of origin.
 
Should the passenger refuse any of these options, violate voluntary quarantine or prophylactic isolation, mandatory hotel quarantine will be determined, whose costs will be fully incurred by the passenger.
 
It should be recalled that, as is currently the case with the passengers observing mandatory quarantine, we maintain the obligation to carry out a screening test for COVID-19 on the 14th day.
 
Under the provisions of article 6 of the Legal Scheme on the Civil Protection System of the Azores, these decisions shall enter into force at 12 am of Sunday, May 17, the expected date of arrival of the next flight to the Region.
 
Another consequence arising from the Court's decision may be the fact that the approximately 350 passengers who are currently under quarantine at hotel units may eventually decide to abandon quarantine.
 
Regardless of more or less formal legal issues, this was a possibility that we had to consider.
 
Therefore, as soon as the 'Habeas Corpus' petition became known, it was determined that the health authorities would collect the biological samples and carry out screening tests COVID-19 on these passengers, a measure to avoid the emergence of potential risks of transmission chains on the islands of São Miguel and Terceira.
 
These passengers were also informed that, if they wished so and only if they wished so, they could leave the hotels where they were observing mandatory quarantine.
 
The Government of the Azores has been committed, from the very first hour, to the relentless fight against the novel coronavirus, taking all measures within the reach of its powers to protect the health of the Azoreans, who, with their behaviour, have been fundamental to the results that have been achieved so far.
 
The developments known today, which translate into reduced control of the epidemiological situation on the islands of São Miguel and Terceira, will now demand from all of us an increased effort in individual procedures to prevent the spread of the virus.
 
Therefore, it is essential that we do not lower our guard, because what is at stake is the protection of the health of each and every Azorean.
 
I conclude by reiterating something that today, more than ever before, can make the difference between life and death:
 
The protection of all begins with the protection of each one!"

 


GaCS/PGR
 
 
 
 
 
   
 

Official government press-releases presented in all foreign languages interfaces of the Azorean Government Portal (Portal do Governo dos Açores) are a sub-set of the government's official press-releases daily output and are chosen for translation and publication on the foreign language interfaces based on audience segmentation criteria. The entire collection of the Azorean government press-releases is available in portuguese, here, from the GACS Press Office site.

 
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