Portugal starts a new 15-day state of emergency

A new 15-day nationwide state of emergency started at midnight on Tuesday, the day that marks one year since the first two cases of Covid-19 were detected in Portugal, and will last until 11:59 pm on March 16. And it may not be the last.

Despite the improvement in the pandemic situation in recent days, admissions to intensive care units remain above 400. This is about double the target set by the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, for the reopening of the country.

This way, the Portuguese are likely to remain in lockdown for the next 15 days, with most of the measures that have already been in place for the last two fortnights remaining in force.

The ban on movement between municipalities at weekends will continue in place, and most establishments will remain closed. Restaurants outside shopping centres can operate, but only on a takeaway or home delivery basis.

See all the lockdown measures currently in force:

• The sale or delivery of products at the front door of any establishment is now prohibited;
• All restaurants in shopping centres, even those which could operate under the takeaway regime, are closed;
• All sales campaigns, promotions and liquidations promoting the movement or concentration of people are prohibited;
• It is forbidden to stay for long periods in public outdoor spaces, such as gardens;
• Mayors are asked, as in March and April 2020, to limit access to places with a high concentration of people and to limit the use of park benches and playgrounds, and individual sports venues.
• Educational and teaching activities in public, private and cooperative educational establishments and in the social and solidarity sector are closed;
• Ban on movement between municipalities on weekends, and all establishments of any kind must close at 8 pm on weekdays, and at 1 pm on weekends, except for the food retail, which may extend to 5 pm on weekends.
• Ban on non-essential travel outside the mainland by Portuguese citizens;
  Re-establishment of land border controls;
• Possibility of suspending flights and determining compulsory confinement of passengers on arrival;
• Possibility for health care institutions of the National Health Service (SNS) to be able, exceptionally, to contract, up to a maximum of one year, holders of academic degrees conferred by a foreign higher education institution in the area of medicine and nursing, provided that certain requirements are met.