Covid-19: Portugal sets up a 2nd generalized containment to stem the epidemic
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa details the restrictions he has decided to fight against Covid-19 during a press conference on January 13, 2021 in Lisbon.
AP - Armando Franca
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Portugal will be subjected from Friday, January 15 to a second “general” confinement to curb the Covid-19 epidemic, which has reached new records in the country, Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced on Wednesday.
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The new health restrictions will correspond "essentially" to those which had been in force in March and April, but this time the schools will remain open, as will the courts or the churches, specified Antonio Costa after a council of extraordinary ministers.
"
The rule is simple: each of us must stay at home
", underlined the head of the socialist government, thus confirming the closure of non-essential shops, cafes and restaurants.
Exceptionally, voters will be able to vote in the first round of the presidential election on January 24.
Those who wish can even do it early on this Sunday.
On the other hand, the authorities will now require a negative test for Covid-19 for passengers disembarking at the country's airports, Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva said earlier.
156 deaths and 10,556 cases in one day
To stem the second wave of the pandemic, the Portuguese authorities had imposed
partial confinements and curfews
in the most affected regions
in November
.
But, after easing these restrictions for the Christmas holidays, the transmission of the virus has accelerated, and the country of ten million people reached new records on Wednesday, with 156 dead and 10,556 cases detected in a single day.
"
We are living simultaneously the most dangerous moment but also that of the greatest hope
", declared the Prime Minister, alluding to the heavy toll of the pandemic and to the vaccination campaign launched at the end of December across Europe.
(With AFP)
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Portugal
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