Portugal toughens weekend measures and expands list of high-risk cities
In recent weeks, a real race for measures has been played out in Portugal in the face of the increase in coronavirus cases. After the announcement by the President of the Portuguese Republic of the return of the “preventive” state of emergency, Prime Minister Antonio Costa, for his part, detailed a toughening of the measures put in place and an expansion of the towns concerned by the curfew (11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays and from 1 p.m. on weekends). Lisbob, the expatriate assistant, tells you all about Antonio Costa's new announcements.
Portugal toughens weekend measures and expands list of high-risk cities
After a meeting of the Council of Ministers on Thursday, November 12, António Costa announced new measures and updated the list of municipalities at risk. The Portuguese Prime Minister began by stressing that "the situation is serious, more critical than the situation we experienced at the start of the pandemic". He stressed that the current measures "are less intense and focused on the weekend" in order to "ensure the continuity" of the current academic year and disrupt "economic activity" as little as possible.
In order to cut short the controversy over commercial spaces, António Costa has announced that they will be closed from 1 p.m. on Saturday and until 8 a.m. on Sunday, all commercial establishments and restaurants (except establishments which already had opening hours before 8 a.m.) "Restaurants can only operate from 1:00 p.m. for home delivery, the prime minister said. This means that Pingo Doce, which wanted to open at 6:30 a.m. morning on Saturday, will not be able to do it.
Regarding the list of municipalities at risk, António Costa announced that it would increase to 191. Seven municipalities that list it (Moimenta da Beira, Tabuaço, São João da Pesqueira, Mesão Frio, Pinhel, Tondela and Batalha) and 77 enter it. This list of municipalities with a high risk of transmission of covid-19, subject to more restrictive measures such as the curfew, will therefore increase to 191 from next Monday.
Reassessed every two weeks by the Portuguese government, the list of municipalities at high risk of transmission of covid-19 is defined according to the criterion of "more than 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants during the last 14 days", also taking into account the proximity to another municipality in this situation and the exception for households located in low-density municipalities.
Here is the list of new cities at risk:
Manteigas
Freixo de Espada à Cinta
Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo
Coruche
Seia
Proença-a-Nova
Monforte
Vieira do Minho
Mealhada
Celorico da Beira
Castro Daire
Arronches
Nelas
Vila Nova de Foz Côa
Mora
Torre de Moncorvo
Mêda
Mangualde
Salvaterra de Magos
Pampilhosa da Serra
Ourém
Vila do Bispo
Penela
Miranda do Douro
Albergaria-a-Velha
Águeda
Oliveira do Bairro
Arganil
Grândola
Resende
Mira
Ílhavo
Abrantes
Boticas
Coimbra
Almeida
Cantanhede
Almeirim
Ferreira do Alentejo
São Pedro do Sul
Estarreja
Faro
Cuba
Mirandela
Campo Maior
Miranda do Corvo
Alcanena
Ponte de Sor
Condeixa-a-Nova
Arcos de Valdevez
Montalegre
Montemor-o-Velho
Crato
Viseu
Reguengos de Monsaraz
Vagos
Penalva do Castelo
Sousel
Évora
Penamacor
Murtosa
Lamego
Vila Real de Santo António
Albufeira
Carrazeda de Ansiães
Elvas
Vila Nova de Paiva
Alvaiázere
Tábua
Portalegre
Portimão
Ansião
Tavira
Lagos
Aljustrel
Anadia
Sátão