Lockdown easing’s last step starts May 1

The government led by António Costa announced this Thursday the measures for the last phase of the lockdown easing plan that include the return of major outdoor events, all sports and the lifting of hourly restrictions on restaurants, cafes and pastry shops.

The measures will come into effect on Saturday, May 1, already outside the period of the state of emergency, which ends on Friday and will not be extended, by decision of Portugal’s President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

However, the measures may be revised if Portugal exceeds 120 new cases of infection with the new coronavirus per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days, or if the transmissibility index (Rt) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus exceeds 1.

This is what will change on May 1:

• Cafes and restaurants will be able to stay open until 10:30 pm at weekends as well as during the week;
• Large outdoor and indoor events will be permitted again, with capacity defined by DGS;
• Capacity limits for weddings and baptisms have also been raised to 50%;
• return of all sports and physical activity in the open air and in gyms;
• Borders with Spain open again;
• Shops, including shopping centres, may now be open until 9 pm on weekdays and 7 pm on weekends.