Covid-19: Portugal eases restrictions for Christmas and New Year

A curfew is currently in force in the evenings and at weekends in the most risky areas of Portugal.

Here in Lisbon, November 9, 2020. AP - Armando Franca

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced this Saturday, December 5 the maintenance of the health restrictions currently in force in the country, in order to be able to alleviate them during the end-of-year celebrations.

Publicity

Read more

" 

 " Portuguese head of government Antonio Costa said at a press conference on Saturday, adding that exceptions will be made " 

 ".

Since the end of October, Portugal has imposed a partial reconfinement which has been gradually extended to most of the country.

In the regions most affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, a night curfew has been established from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., and from 1 p.m. on weekends, but schools and businesses do not have closed as in spring. 

Reduced curfew for Christmas and New Years

The government has decided to ease the pressure for Christmas by allowing travel across the country in order to respect family traditions.

On New Year's Eve, the curfew will not come into effect until 2 a.m.

Curfew hours will also be reduced for New Year's Eve and restaurants may close later.

Travel across the country will however again be prohibited, no public celebrations will be organized and gatherings on public roads will be limited to a maximum of six people.

The state of emergency in effect since November 9 was formally extended on Friday until December 23, and the country's leaders have already warned that it will be extended at least until January 7.

An "extremely high" number of hospitalizations

Thanks to these health measures, Portugal detected this week less than 4,000 new cases per day on average, against nearly 6,500 daily contaminations two weeks earlier.

The number of hospitalizations, however, remains " 

 ", said the Prime Minister, with around 3,300 people hospitalized in total, including more than 500 in intensive care units.

With its population of 10 million inhabitants, the country had nearly 5,000 dead this Saturday since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the national vaccination plan drafted this week, Portugal expects to receive 22 million doses of vaccine from January and will begin by vaccinating 950,000 people considered to be priorities.

Antonio Costa launched a strong appeal for Christmas to be a Christmas of resilience, reports our correspondent in Lisbon,

.

He once again relies on the Portuguese sense of responsibility.

However, the Prime Minister is playing it safe: this easing of restrictions, which mainly concerns the 113 municipalities (out of a total of 308) where the risk of contamination with the new coronavirus remains "extremely high" or "very high", must be confirmed on the 18th. December.

In the event of an outbreak of contaminations, the end-of-year celebrations will be particularly sad.

(

AFP)

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

• Coronavirus

• Portugal

• Health and medicine