Tired and upset: a lament for Portugal's long lockdown

[January 29, 2021]  LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal's extension of a nationwide lockdown this week in the face of spiking COVID-19 infections was no surprise to Marco, 43, who had to shut his Lisbon fitness studio earlier this month.

But he is tired and upset.

"We've been at this for a year, something should have been done sooner," he told Reuters on Friday as he walked his dog in an otherwise largely empty church square.

Facing the world's highest per capita death toll, Portugal has extended a harsh lockdown until mid-February, banned non-essential travel for its nationals and imposed checks on the border with Spain.

Marco had to shut his studio this month for the second time since the start of the pandemic and expects it to stay closed for some time to come.

"It was obvious they had to do it. But I'm frustrated. There's just nothing to do," he said.
 

Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Wednesday that relaxing restrictions over Christmas worsened the situation, but also pointed to the quick spread of a new and more contagious variant now estimated to be responsible for around a third of cases.

Hospitals are creaking under the pressure. Health ministry data shows just 67 intensive care beds available nationwide.

"They didn't have the courage to keep people at home. It was a big mistake," said Rui Pedro, 56, as he waited for his ride in the morning mist in Lisbon's historic Campo de Ourique neighbourhood.

View of a nearly empty street near Cais do Sodre during the national lockdown, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Lisbon, Portugal, January 23, 2021. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes

Streets were largely deserted except for the occasional supermarket cashier or construction worker taking a break on the curb and a few pedestrians walking quickly by.

Few believe restrictions will be lifted soon.

"If in March things are good, that's great, but I don't believe it," said Maria Rita Coutinho, 69. "For as long as people don't comprehend that they've got to respect the situation, we're not going anywhere."

(Reporting by Victoria Waldersee, Miguel Pereira, editing by Andrei Khalip and Giles Elgood)

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