Not much going on in Portugal’s vaccination centers. The reason: There is practically no one left who has not yet been vaccinated.
Image: keystone
Portugal’s health system was still on the brink of collapse at the beginning of the year. Then the country ignited the vaccination turbo and practically all corona measures were lifted on Friday. How did that come about? With military drill – and without politicians.
In Portugal, practically no one can be vaccinated any more. Because there are simply hardly any people left who have not already been vaccinated. Of the 10.3 million inhabitants, around 86 percent are fully vaccinated. If you only look at the people admitted to the vaccinations, an incredible 98 percent are doubly protected.
The way there is amazing. Because in January the health system was at its limit, the number of cases exploded and the willingness to vaccinate was low. According to surveys, around 40 percent of the population were unsure whether they should be vaccinated. Now there are still 2.2 percent who do not want the injection. What happened?
The “New York Times” shows impressively how Portugal blossomed into the world vaccination champion . These are the most important points:
The right person at the top
In February there was a change at the head of the vaccination campaign task force. The position was entrusted to Vice Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo. The 60-year-old was born in Mozambique and is the former commander of a submarine squadron.
Henrique Gouveia e Melo, the strong man behind Portugal’s vaccination campaign.
Image: keystone
This said on Friday in the «New York Times» : «We believe we have practically reached the point of herd immunity . It looks very good.” The vaccination success is largely attributed to him. But how did he do it?
This is how far Switzerland is from the great opening:
>> Coronavirus: All news in the live ticker
Keep the politicians out
The key to the goal is clear for Gouveia e Melo: keep politics out. “You have to find people who are not politicians,” he said. Gouveia e Melo is seen as an apolitical person. He has integrated mathematicians, doctors and strategy experts from the military into his core team of almost 40 people.
The people unite
It is not so that there was no misinformation on social media in Portugal or the country in general would be less skeptical about Corona. Gouveia e Melo knew that he first had to convince the country of his way.
Gouveia e Melo speaks to people standing in front of a vaccination center.
Image: keystone
The methods of the former commandant were partly controversial. The 1.90-meter giant appears consistently in his combat uniform. He used martial rhetoric and funneled the people into the fact that they had to go to war against the virus together. “The uniform was a symbol of the need to roll up your sleeves and fight the virus,” Gouveia e Melo told the AP. The tactic worked.
Build trust
Gouveia e Melo soon gained the trust of the residents. In Portugal, people who are critical of the vaccination are probably less and not as loud compared to other countries. Nevertheless, it took some tricks.
Health workers are publicly vaccinated. That creates trust.
Image: keystone
Discipline was a key and Gouveia e Melo first had entire troops of soldiers vaccinated in a publicly effective way. And of course he relied on doctors and health workers who had themselves vaccinated in public. Other countries did the same, but hardly any other nation as recurring as Portugal.
Face the resistance
But it is not that everything went like clockwork. In the summer there was sometimes greater resistance. A vaccination center in Lisbon was once blocked by critics. Gouveia e Melo showed up in his uniform and mingled with the crowd. “They called me a murderer,” he recalls.
In March there were protests against the lockdown in Portugal.
Image: keystone
But when the TV cameras caught him, he stood firm. In the “New York Times” he describes the moment as follows: “I said: ‘The killer is the virus. The real killer, however, are people who live like in the 13th century and misunderstand reality. ›» He tried to address the problems and doubts as honestly as possible.
The overview in Switzerland:
Criticism
The way of Portugal was successful. Of course, a setback can still occur, like the example
Israel shows. Portugal should soon start with a booster vaccination for older people and risk groups to prevent this.
Currently, the goal seems to have been achieved with military language and discipline. However, this style also brought criticism, as the psychologist Laura Sanches says. The military behavior also spread fear and many Portuguese preferred to be silent and obey than to defend themselves.
(fox)
No snow in the mountains? Then we’ll just stay in the sea!
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No snow in the mountains? Then we’ll just stay in the sea!
source: epa / lusa / miguel a. lopes
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