The country with the highest vaccination rate of the entire European Union – about 87% of a population of 10 million people has received the complete pattern – is not immune to a fifth wave of Coronavirus.
With an incidence in 325 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, Portugal today enters a state of calamity, a step below the state of emergency (used to decline confinements).
Thus, a period marked by the return of the obligatory nature of the digital certificate and the teleworking, as well as the reinforcement of the travel controls.
One day before these measures came into force, 2907 new infections were recorded, a considerable increase compared to those reported on Monday, 1635. The coordinator of the National Response Commission Intensive Medicine, João Gouveia, noticed that they are “worrisome” numbers.
And “we can not make the same mistakes, you have to prevent the bomb in our hands to explode.”
The country “is not as well as I would like to be,” said Prime Minister Antonio Costa for his part.
Asked about whether new restrictions during Christmas, Costa said today that “we must always be attentive to take new measures, if necessary. Thus we have been living the last two years and we have managed to resist, although it has been difficult for all”
, he claimed.
Among the restrictions that come into operation today and that will be in force until March 20, highlights the return of the digital certificates of Covid, which will be necessary almost for everything (less to go to mass) or the adoption of a “week of
Containment “after Christmas.
We will have to present the certificate that credits being vaccinated, recovered or having a negative test of Covid, to enter restaurants, tourist accommodation, gyms, leisure or cultural events with marked squares, gyms or casinos (it will not be necessary to present it to go to Mass
).
In addition, to enter into hospitals, residences, nightclubs and great cultural or sports events – both in closed spaces as outdoors – will have to necessarily have a negative proof, also vaccinated people.
The masks will be mandatory in all closed spaces.
In addition, last Monday, the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, promulgated a decree that allows the government to decree that the mask may be mandatory in certain spaces and public roads when “the physical distance of separation recommended by the health authorities
It is impracticable. ”
The bill that gives powers to the government to force a masks down the street clarifies that this measure will be taken “depending on the evolution of the pandemic”.
Until next January 9, it will be mandatory to present a negative test for all passengers that fly to Portugal from today, regardless of nationality or the place of origin.
Children under 12 years, the crew, passengers from Madeira and Azores and the people who demonstrate have passed the Covid-19 less than six months ago.
The airlines that move passengers without that negative test can face fines of up to 20,000 euros per person.
For the entrance through the terrestrial borders, random controls will be carried out under rules that have not yet been detailed and that have generated some confusion in the country, according to the EFE agency.
For citizens who come from EU countries with low or moderate risk, the digital certificate will be sufficient.
For those who come from outside the EU or countries with high risk, in addition to the certificate, a negative test will have to be presented.
In addition, anyone who does not want to undergo a necessary Covid test must pay a fine of between 300 to 800 euros.
With the intention of preventing family and friends from friends, as usual at this time, they cause an escalation in the contagion (and more taking into account the new variant omicron, detected in Portugal in 13 Futbolars of the team Belenenses, one of whose players
He had recently traveled to South Africa), the Costa Executive has implanted the “Week of Contention”.
Thus, the reboot of the school year, initially foreseen for January 3, is postponed per day 10. Postponement affects all schools, public and private and also nurseries.
These extra days will be offset with the holidays of Carnival and Easter.
Between January 2 and 9, all nightclubs and bars will be closed and teleworking will be mandatory (it is already advisable since this week)
