“Starting today, we will have a priority line for the security forces and services and also for firefighters and little by little we are consolidating and structuring this system because they have to work differently on this issue of tests and for each suspect element there is a series of elements that end up also being in isolation and unable to carry out their actions ”, said Patrícia Gaspar.

The Secretary of State spoke to journalists at the end of a visit to the local support structure of Aveiras de Cima, in the municipality of Azambuja, one of the 470 units created across the country with the support of the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) within the framework of the covid-19 pandemic.

Patrícia Gaspar considered that it is necessary to “keep track as soon as possible” of the elements of the security forces and services and the firefighters, since they have “a fundamental role in maintaining order and ensuring that everything goes as smoothly as possible”.

“We must ensure that these tests are carried out with the utmost speed”, he stressed, stressing that on Wednesday a collaboration with the health area and the Red Cross was operationalized, in addition to articulation with the Armed Forces.

The minister added that other priority lines are being operationalised in different parts of the country, since this is an “occurrence” with a national dimension.

On Wednesday, the structures representing the elements of the security forces considered it irresponsible and inconceivable that police officers should not be part of the priority group in the covid-19 tests, adding that there are services in the PSP and GNR that may close.

The Secretary of State also took stock of the situation regarding the distribution of personal protective equipment by the fire and police corporations.

"We were able to make a first distribution of 10,000 masks to the security forces and services, 30,000 were distributed to the fire brigade two days ago and yesterday [Wednesday] we distributed again 120,000 masks to the security forces," said.