LISBON, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's Director-General of Health Graca Freitas said on Sunday that it is better for citizens to be prepared to live with the novel coronavirus as it will not disappear on its own.
"It is better to be prepared for this virus to become habitual in our lives," Freitas said at the daily press conference to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic.
She explained that whether there is a vaccine or not, it is expected that "human beings gain immunity and the virus becomes less aggressive."
"If we have a vaccine, the better. If not, we will have to live with the virus until we have natural immunity," she added.
Meanwhile, on a day before Portugal enters the second phase of deconfinement, Secretary of State for Health Antonio Lacerda Sales said that the fear of COVID-19 "should not paralyze" the Portuguese, but rather make them "most attentive and vigilant" citizens.
The second phase starts on Monday, with the reopening of restaurants and cafeterias with limited capacity, resumption of classes for secondary schools and shopping centers up to 400 square meters.
As of Sunday, Portugal has recorded 1,218 deaths from COVID-19 and 29,036 cases of infection, the health authorities said. Enditem
