Mayor Rui Moreira's interview to RTP to talk about testing to Covid-19 in Porto, the reopening of the economy, TAP and Matadouro

Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira's interview to Jornal da Tarde of RTP was time to know, first hand, the final results of the testing programme in the city to the elderly and caretakers of nursing homes, as well as other beneficiaries such as people with disabilities, homeless people, institutionalised youth and people with HIV.  

The results showed that only 1.4% tested positive among nearly 5 thousand people tested. This is one of the measures organised by the Municipality of Porto, alongside the drive-thru testing centre and the Field Hospital.

Rui Moreira talked about the General Directorate for Health (DGS), TAP, the reginal disparities in support and concluded the interview highlighting the importance of the project Matadouro, whose construction will help the city and the region to overcome the crisis.

The Mayor started by saying that he will pay attention to the government measures that will accompany the reopening of the economy, which is due to start on 4th May, and that there will be "pendular mouvements" and that it is necessary to look at "the universe of our commuting", so that the measures work.

The main message by Mayor Rui Moreira, tough, was to share the success of the testing programme to the elderly and caretakers at nursing homes, together with people with disabilities, people with Aids/HIV, the homeless and the institutionalised Youth.

In 73 retirement homes and in 25 of those unities, there were traced only 73 positive cases. The screening began on 29th March and concluded this past Monday. It relied on the support of Hospital de São João and two Health Centres in the city. This was a unique initiative because it enabled the immediate separation of the elderly that needed to be accommodated somewhere else than their nursing home, where there had been found positive cases.

"The screening was followed by the separation and those elders being accommodated in the Youth Hostel", where there are still 26 people, as revealed by Rui Moreira.

Also the Diocese of Porto provided the Seminar of Vilar for the same purpose, but the frank favourable results of the programme this was not needed.

"We do not have a parallel health system. We are supporting the National Health system so that it does not collapse".

The testing programme was one of the initiatives taken by Porto City Hall to fight the outbreak of COVID-19 in the district, but it is not the only one that was complementary to the measures taken by the Central State, as stated by Rui Moreira.

Porto City Hall has set up a Field Campaign at the Super Bock Arena - Pavilhão Rosa Mota, after knowing that "there were difficulties regarding mild patients at São João and Santo António hospitals". This initiative was supported by the Northern Regional Medical Association, the Portuguese Army and the private sector
.

At this point there are 30 patients and all the health professionals working there voluntarily.

Before this, the Municipality of Porto set up in the first drive-thu testing centre in the country, located at the Queimódromo. "More than 12.500 people have been tested already", since 14th March, recalled Rui Moreira.

"I think it is reasonable that municipalities are complementary to the measures taken by the Central State".

Although the city of Porto is facing the pandemic on a high note, and with no other support, because "we have a very active civil society and the fact that the City Hall has very good financial results is a plus also", Rui Moreira denounced those institutions that allocate their resources in Lisbon when they are funded by taxpayers money, namely the Red Cross and the Misericordia de Lisboa.

Later, "the country will have to deal with those disparities very carefully", Rui Moreira urged.

About TAP, the Mayor of Porto demanded that the reopening of flights is done "in a balanced way across the country. I do not accept that operations are once again based in Lisbon, even because the Northern Region entrepreneurs and businesspeople will have to continue travelling and export companies need to do business", the Mayor enhanced.

The matter of importance in the city is the wining of the appeal on the project of the Matadouro; this project "was in the drawer for about 14 months", following the veto by the Constitutional Court, the Mayor mentioned and furthered that he will meet with Mota Engil, the company that won the public tender to build the Matadouro, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.

"So far, there is no reason to believe this project will not move forward. On the contrary. I believe the company is very much interested. I tis now two years that the contract was awarded. Mayor Rui Moreira took the opportunity to thank the support by both the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister.

"Now is the time to set things in motion. We need investment (?) the fact that there is an investment worth 40 million and moreover in that part of the city, in Campanhã, it is fundamental". The Mayor also highlighted that the Terminal Intermodal of Campanhã is moving really well, in that area as well.

"Once the works are concluded, the Matadouro will be very beneficial to the city, to the local and the regional economy as well", Mayor Rui Moreira concluded.