Most Portuguese regions will enter the third phase of facilitating the blocking of COVID-19 next week, but stricter rules will remain in place in municipalities where transmission rates remain high, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Thursday.
“This set of measures is neither rewards nor punishments,” Antonio Costa told a news conference. “There are public health measures for the safety of the population, of the people.”
Portugal, which imposed a blockade in January to reduce what was then the world’s worst COVID-19 increase, began lifting restrictions last month and has since reopened some schools, restaurant terraces and cafes, museums and lounges. hairstyle.
In the last two weeks, people have walked out the door to enjoy the warmer spring weather, to see friends and relatives and to enjoy a meal outside after more than two months stuck at home.
From Monday, high schools, universities, cinemas, shopping malls and restaurant interior areas will reopen in the vast majority of the 278 municipalities in mainland Portugal, but under restrictions designed to reduce the risk of contagion.
Outdoor events, weddings, baptisms can also be resumed in accordance with the rules of capacity.
However, in municipalities where the limit of 120 cases per 100,000 people has been reached, the rules will be different.
Seven municipalities, including the tourist town of Albufeira in the southern Algarve region, famous for its beaches and golf courses, but now almost deserted, will not progress until the third phase of relaxation.
Taking a step back, four municipalities, such as the largest city in the western Algarve Portimao, will re-impose stricter blocking rules, such as closing cafe terraces and other non-essential business.
“This is really a fight against the pandemic that we have to do together,” Costa said. “The effort cannot be wasted until the vaccination process is effective.”
Portugal, a nation of just over 10 million, has suffered 829,358 cases and 16,933 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. To date, it has administered almost 2.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
No crisis in recent history has affected the Portuguese tourism-dependent economy as much, with GDP falling 7.6% last year, the largest annual decline since 1936.
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