Two free Covid-19 tests per person stay until end of April

Portugal’s government has extended the conditions of reimbursement of rapid antigen tests (TRAg) until the end of April, meaning each citizen maintains the right to two free tests.

According to the ordinance published on Monday in the Diário da República, the conditions currently in force in the exceptional and temporary reimbursement scheme for rapid antigen tests (TRAg) for professional use has been extended until April 30.

“In the context of the current epidemiological situation, it is important to continue to ensure the validity of the exceptional and temporary scheme until April 30 2022, continuing the use of tests for detection of SARS-CoV-2, performed in a manner proportional to the risk,” says the ordinance, signed by the secretary of state for health, Diogo Serras Lopes.

The ordinance had been updated at the beginning of March when it reduced the number of free tests per month for each citizen from four to two.

At the time, the ordinance noted the evolution of the epidemiological situation and the lifting of several measures applied in the context of the pandemic, including the end of the requirement to present a digital certificate, except at border control, as well as the need of a negative test result for access to major events, sports venues, bars and nightclubs.

Since then, the requirement for a negative test or certificate of recovery or complete vaccination with booster dose has remained in force only for visits to nursing homes and inpatients in health care facilities.

The government last week extended the alert situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic until April 18.