Month: November 2020

The Minister of Internal Affairs today considered that greater control at the internal borders of the Schengen area, during the first months of the pandemic, was not effective in containing the new coronavirus.

“At the level of internal borders, Portugal considers that the increase in border controls was not effective in stopping the virus, still creating problems for the internal market”, said Eduardo Cabrita.

This assessment was made by the Portuguese government official during the 1st Schengen Forum, which today brought together by videoconferences ministers of the European Union (EU) Internal Administration, members of the European Parliament and members of the European Commission.

During his speech, Eduardo Cabrita considered that the response of the member states to the current health crisis should be coordinated and rejected unilateral measures against movement in the Schengen Area, defending instead the adoption of common criteria, in coordination with the ministries. Health and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

“What we have seen happening all over Europe, with the imposition of quarantine on European citizens or with unilateral obligations to present PCR [diagnostic tests to covid-19] for entry into some countries, is not an effective way to fight against the disease, ”he said.

Speaking to Lusa, after the meeting, the minister explained that this is one of the factors that threatens to jeopardize the Schengen Area, which he classified as “one of the EU’s greatest achievements”, accompanied by other issues such as the prevention of terrorism and the management of irregular migratory flows at the external borders.

On this point, in his intervention at the forum, the minister considered that the controls there are “one of the main objectives to keep the Schengen Area functioning”.

“That is why it makes us happy that, during the Portuguese Presidency of the EU, we can start to see the European Border and Coast Guard working with more skills. And in our Presidency, we will give due importance to this new achievement of European policies”, he stressed.

Also for the management of external borders, the government defended common criteria, which must still be reinforced, in this case in the entry of citizens of third countries, through land, air and maritime borders.

Eduardo Cabrita assured that the country is committed to the development of the new Asylum and Migration Pact, adding, however, that migration cannot be seen only as a problem of border control.

“We must take a broader approach, including the external dimension of necessary cooperation with Europe’s neighbouring countries in promoting their development and preventing trafficking in human beings, but also in preventing transit between these neighbouring countries destined for Europe ”, he explained during the meeting.

The Schengen Forum will be repeated next year, in April, already during the Portuguese Presidency of the EU, to prepare the legislative proposals that the European Commission intends to present by May, namely the revision of the Schengen Area regulation and the common visa regulation.

At the next meeting, new assessments will also be made on the functioning of internal borders and on the progress of the common external border control process, Eduardo Cabrita told Lusa.

During the meeting, Eduardo Cabrita also underlined the importance of regular discussions on the functioning and strengthening of the Schengen Area, which he classified as “the crown jewel of European integration” also pointing to the strengthening of common values ​​in this context as one of the objectives of the Presidency Portuguese.

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) estimates that, if Portugal maintains the restrictions currently adopted, it will register in December “very low levels” of new cases of covid-19, followed by fewer hospital admissions and deaths.

“In the most recent projections, we estimated that 22 of the 31 Member States [of the European Union and the European Economic Area] will have a reduction in the number of confirmed cases and, subsequently, in hospital admissions and deaths, to very low levels”, indicates the ECDC in written reply sent to the Lusa agency.

Portugal is one of those countries, but this only if “they maintain the response measures in force on November 18, 2020 and until the end of the forecast period, which is December 25, 2020”, adds the European agency, alluding to the report released this week.

At a time when the epidemiological situation regarding the covid-19 disease continues to worsen in Portugal, with new daily maximum hospitalizations and intensive care, the country is in a state of emergency, with restrictions on circulation on the public road during the weekends and weekends and commuting between municipalities on holidays, more limited hours for shops and restaurants and mandatory use of masks on the street and in the workplace.

If these measures continue to be adopted in Portugal, ECDC foresees, in the report released this week with short-term projections on the evolution of the epidemiological situation in the European Union (EU), that after a peak of infections in mid-November, it will register a sharp slowdown in December, which is expected to culminate in less than 2,000 daily cases in January.

In the case of daily numbers of deaths, hospitalizations and entries into intensive care, the peak is expected to be reached in December, according to this European agency, which expects a slowdown in January.

“Given the response measures currently in place, we anticipate that more than half of the EU Member States and the European Economic Area will see a reduction of more than 50% in the daily number of confirmed cases, and a subsequent reduction in associated hospital demand and deaths, ”says the ECDC in the report.

At the same time, “more than two-thirds of member states are expected to experience some decrease in the daily rate of confirmed cases as a consequence of current policies,” he adds.

The European public health agency admits, however, that these projections “continue to be a great challenge, since they are very dependent on the policies enacted by the Member States”.

In the case of the estimates released this week, “they were made shortly after the implementation of new measures, including orders and recommendations for staying at home”, so “there is little data observed on their impact and wide ranges of uncertainty”, safeguards the ECDC .

Another scenario considered by the ECDC in this report was if “the behavior returned to that of April 1, 2020, when the most stringent measures were in force across Europe”, with the agency verified that, in this scenario, “all countries would attend a decline in the incidence of covid-19 ”.

Based in Sweden, ECDC’s mission is to help European countries respond to disease outbreaks.

The covid-19 pandemic has already claimed more than 1.4 million deaths in more than 60 million infection cases worldwide.

In Portugal, the barriers of 4,000 deaths and 280,000 confirmed cases of infection have already been overcome.

The disease is transmitted by a new coronavirus detected in late December 2019 in Wuhan, a city in central China.

The regions of Madeira, Lisbon and Algarve won, in the categories best island destination, best ‘city break’ and best beach destination, the World Travel Awards 2020, according to a statement from the Ministry of Economy.

“Madeira continues to be the best island destination in the world, in the 2020 edition of the World Travel Awards, which also distinguished Lisbon as the best ‘city break’ destination in the world and the Algarve, as the best beach destination in the world”, reads up on the same note.

“Overcoming all constraints, we preserve the reputation and notoriety of our destinations,” said Secretary of State for Tourism, Rita Marques, cited in the statement.

According to the minister, these awards are a sign that Portugal has shown the world that it is “a safe country, ready for everyone to receive, when it is possible”.

The World Travel Awards, considered the ‘Oscars’ of tourism, are “attributed annually, since 1993, by professionals of the sector on a worldwide scale, distinguishing the work developed in the tourism industry in order to stimulate the competitiveness and quality of tourism”, the government recalled.

In addition to these regions, Portugal won prizes in several other categories, as revealed by the tutelage:

-‘World’s Leading Luxury Leisure Resort ‘2020 (best luxury resort) – Conrad Algarve

-‘World’s Leading Tourism Development Project ‘2020 (best development project) – Dark Sky Alqueva, Portugal and Spain

-‘World’s Leading Golf & Villa Resort ‘2020 (best golf resort) – Dunas Douradas Beach Club, Portugal

-‘World’s Leading Wine Region Hotel ‘2020 (best hotel with a wine theme) – L’AND Vineyards, Portugal

-World’s Leading Adventure Tourist Attraction 2020 (best adventure tourism attraction) – Passadiços do Paiva (Arouca UNESCO Global Geopark), Portugal

-‘World’s Leading Classic Hotel ‘(best classic hotel) 2020 – Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel, Portugal

-‘World’s Leading Conservation Company ‘2020 (best preservation company) – Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua, Portugal

-‘World’s Leading Airline to Africa ‘2020 (best airline for Africa) – TAP Air Portugal

-‘World’s Leading Airline to South America ‘2020 (best airline in Latin America) – TAP Air Portugal

-‘World’s Leading Inflight Magazine ‘2020 (best in-flight magazine) – Up Magazine (TAP Air Portugal)

-‘World’s Leading City Break Destination ‘2020 (best city for’ city break ‘) – Lisbon, Portugal

-‘World’s Leading Beach Destination ‘2020 (best beach destination) – The Algarve, Portugal

-‘World’s Leading Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant ‘2020 (best luxury restaurant) – Vila Joya Hotel Restaurant @ Vila Joya, Portugal

-‘World’s Leading Island Destination ‘2020 (best island destination) – Madeira Islands

This task-force has a six-month mandate, renewable depending on the progress of operationalization of vaccination against covid-19.

The task-force created by the Government to coordinate the entire vaccination plan against covid-19, from the vaccination strategy to the logistical operation of storage, distribution and administration of vaccines, has one month to define the entire process.

According to the dispatch published this Thursday in Diário da República, signed by the ministers of National Defence, Internal Administration and Health, this task force has a six-month mandate, renewable depending on the progress of operationalization of vaccination against covid-19 .

The task force has a coordination nucleus, led by former Secretary of State Francisco Ramos, which includes elements from the Directorate-General for Health, Infarmed and the ministries of National Defence and Home Affairs and has the technical support of different structures.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority, the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS), the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, IP (INÇA), the Shared Services of the Ministry of Health Health (SPMS) and the Hospital Common Use Service (SUCH) are the technical support entities.

The task force’s coordination unit is responsible for delivering within 30 days all the documents necessary to fully define the vaccination plan against covid-19, both from the point of view of logistics (storage and distribution of the different vaccines), as well as the strategy vaccination (identification of priority target groups, administration and clinical follow-up of results and adverse reactions).

It should also define a communication plan with the population about vaccination against covid-19, “with a view to making information available, in an objective, clear and transparent manner about the process”, the order states.

It also has to articulate with the responsible bodies in the Autonomous Regions of Madeira and the Azores all aspects necessary for the realization of the vaccination plan against covid-19 in those regions.

“The task force can promote the hearing of relevant bodies, such as professional public associations and, whenever it deems necessary, request the support of other experts or other institutions for the development of the work to be carried out”, adds the dispatch.

The members who participate in the ‘task force’ do not receive any remuneration for the exercise of their functions.

Last week, the prime minister revealed that Portugal was prepared to buy around 16 million doses of three vaccines against covid-19 and added that Brussels is preparing to combat disinformation campaigns in relation to vaccination.

The Secretary of State for Internal Administration, Patrícia Gaspar, stressed the importance of “social networks” as an essential tool for building a more robust and more resilient civil protection system.

In the closing session of the conference “Bravos Heroes – For a sustainable forest. The role of digital”, promoted by the Global Media Group and transmitted online by Diário de Notícias, Jornal de Notícias and TSF, the Secretary of State recalled that, in the last 20 years ago, the whole paradigm of forest protection against fires has changed and that new digital tools are today instruments that, if used well, can contribute to improving the entire system.

Civil Protection intervention in these new times, stressed Patrícia Gaspar, must cover the various dimensions: prevention, awareness, information to the public, but also the response and preparation of communities.

«Where prevention ends and where combat begins are very fine lines. What is information, what are self-protection messages? Everything is mixed and the lines are not always easy to draw. The ordinary citizen, in this particular matter, has an absolutely fundamental role to play. And without that dimension, we will never be able to achieve the goals that are designed for the next decade and the next 20 years, “said Patrícia Gaspar, stressing that it is necessary to resize Civil Protection services, nature protection services and all forces that, directly or indirectly, share responsibilities in this matter.

“This is something that you cannot do as quickly as we would all like to. But this is, for me, one of the great challenges: to be able to transform our public service to rise to this challenge, to have technicians, to have people who can explore and work on this dimension, who can use all the information that is available so that can create a higher level of knowledge and sharing”, she said.

Patrícia Gaspar also stressed that the technological leap of the last decades has been a decisive contribution in supporting the operational decision. “In the great fires of 2003, the National Command of Operations of the National Authority for Civil Protection – at the time the National Fire and Civil Protection Service – received, every two hours, information, in Excel, that arrived by fax, of the 18 District Commands”, recalled the Secretary of State.

“What we have today are screens, digital and minute information. And if that information is no longer available by the minute, panic is created. We made a huge generational leap in a very short time, which will require a great challenge of adaptation on our part, a continuous capacity to work on these issues, aware of the less sympathetic dimension of these tools – and trying to deconstruct the less we have good” she concluded.

#EuSobrevivi To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Government, through the Secretary of State for Citizenship and Equality, Rosa Monteiro, launches the #EuSobrevivi campaign, which reinforces surveillance against domestic violence and warns against challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Pact against Violence, presented at 3 pm through a webinar, is also launched. The Pact aims to support a number of organizations associated with it in promoting internal practices to prevent and combat domestic violence, based, for example, on the Good Practice Guide : Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence in Entities Employers.

The #EuSobrevivi campaign is based on messages written by victims during the first wave of the pandemic to the SMS 3060 line, conveying useful information about existing support services. The campaign video takes place in a professional context, warning of the importance of people who, in their day-to-day life, have contact with potential victims of domestic violence to mobilize themselves to support them.

The National Support Network for Victims of Domestic Violence (RNAVVD) currently covers 95% of the national territory, including specialized care and reception responses. And the network registered 25 thousand calls in the first wave of the pandemic. In this second wave, the national network has registered, since September, 12,500 calls.

The campaign has the collaboration of AMCV – Women Against Violence Association, Women Without Borders Association, Ser Mulher Association, APAV – Portuguese Victim Support Association, APF – Family Planning Association, Plano I Association, Portuguese Women Association Jurists, Coolabora, Hearts with Crown, FEM – Feminists in Movement, IAC – Child Support Institute, Democratic Women’s Movement, Portuguese Platform for Women’s Rights, UMAR – Alternative Women’s Union and Response and Breaking Silence Association, and it will be published in various national, regional and local media outlets, movie theaters, means of transport, gas stations, hypermarkets and the ATM network.

The Pact Against Violence is the result of collaboration between the Government and a network that already has 20 organizations, such as Sonae, Mercadona, Lidl, Vodafone, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and BP Portugal.

In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, these organizations promptly responded to the appeal by the Secretary of State for Citizenship and Equality, namely by supporting the dissemination of alert and information campaigns on services and support lines, in the creation of the SMS 3060 line, and in the donation of essential goods, computers and personal protection equipment to the structures of the national network.

Violence against women and domestic violence is a public crime and a collective responsibility. This means it can be reported by anyone not just the victim.

Call 800 202 148 or send an SMS to 3060

The GNR, PSP and the National Road Safety Authority will launch on Tuesday 24 th November a Road  Safety Campaign “Don’t run over your plans”, to alert drivers and pedestrians to comply with the rules and avoid being the victim of a road accident.

In a statement, the Public Security Police (PSP) and the National Republican Guard (GNR), say that the campaign, which will run until Wednesday in some areas of the country, includes actions to raise awareness of the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR) and inspection operations with a special focus on compliance with the rules of the highway code and complementary legislation regarding the correct circulation of vehicles and pedestrians.

In the note, GNR, PSP and ANSR recall that “fighting pedestrians being hit by cars is the responsibility of everyone, drivers and pedestrians”, stressing that between 2010 and 2019 more than 1,500 people were killed.

They also warn that the “probability of a pedestrian dying from being hit by a vehicle is 10% if the driver is driving at 30 kph, increasing more than eight times (80%) if the speed is 50 kph”.

For this reason, PSP, GNR and ANSR emphasize that pedestrians have to do their part, especially crossing the crosswalks, respecting the signs, not using distracting devices, such as headphones or mobile phones.

They also warn that the circulation of drivers and pedestrians under the influence of alcohol is extremely dangerous.

“More than a third of the drivers and almost a fifth of the pedestrians who were autopsied by the National Institute of Medicinal Legal and Forensic Sciences, had an alcohol rate equal to or greater than 0.5g / l”, they point out.

This campaign is part of the National Inspection Plan, as part of the National Strategic Road Safety Plan – PENSE 2020, which aims to “Make Road Safety a priority for all Portuguese”.

PENSE foresees the realization of awareness campaigns simultaneously with inspection operations, in places where infractions regularly occur which represent an increased risk for the occurrence of accidents.

ADDRESS TO THE NATION BY THE PRIME MINISTER

The Prime Minister, António Costa, spoke to the country at 18h00 today and announced the new measures to be adopted in the context of the state of emergency, which was renewed until 8 December.

One of these will be the ban on movement between municipalities on forthcoming public holidays, more precisely between 23h00 on 27 November and 05h00 on 2 December and between 23h00 on 4 December and 05h00 on 9 December.

The suspension of school activities on the eve of the public holidays of 30 November and 7 December has also been determined, and there will be a point tolerance in the Civil Service on these days, so that we can have “the quietest possible month of December,” announced António Costa.

17 municipalities will be removed from the list of risk municipalities: Aljustrel, Alvaiázere, Beja, Borba, Caldas da Rainha, Carrazeda de Ansiães, Ferreira do Alentejo, Fornos de Algodres, Golegã, Santa Comba Dão, São Brás de Alportel, Sousel, Tábua, Tavira, Vila Real de Santo António, Vila Velha de Ródão, and Vila Flor.

The “risk map” in Portugal, which meets European criteria, is now divided into four levels: “extremely high risk”, within which there are now 47 municipalities; “very high risk”, with 80 municipalities; “high risk”, with 86 municipalities and, finally, “moderate risk”, with 65 municipalities.

In the “high risk” municipalities, where there are more than 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the ban on circulation between 23h00 and 05h00 will be maintained and the monitoring of teleworking will be intensified, which according to the Prime Minister is not being carried out in all places where it is compulsory.

“Where telework is compulsory, it will be respected,” said the head of government, adding that the minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Ana Mendes Godinho, has already given authorization for “effective actions to verify compliance with this obligation [of telework].

In those municipalities it will also be mandatory to close commercial establishments by 22h00 and restaurants and cultural facilities by 22h30.

For “very high and extremely high risk” municipalities, with more than 480 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, additional measures will be taken. On Saturdays, Sundays and the public holidays on 1 and 8 December, circulation on the streets will be banned and commercial establishments will have to close between 13h00 and 5h00.

Still in these places, it will be obligatory to close commercial establishments from 15h00 on the eve of holidays (30 of November and 7 of December).

António Costa stressed that the list is dynamic and will be reviewed every 15 days, in line with the review of the state of emergency. “In the coming months, the measures to be adopted will be modelled so that they adjust as best as possible to the effective reality in each municipality,” he explained.

The general measures applicable to the entire national territory will be maintained, in particular the mandatory use of the mask on the public highway and in a number of enclosed spaces. The novelty is that, from now on, masks will also be compulsory in workplaces, except when workstations are isolated or when there is physical separation between different workstations.

“Also at work viruses are transmitted and also at work the mask protects against virus transmission”, explained António Costa.

In sum:

For everyone:

• Use of compulsory mask in the workplace, except in situations where distance can be maintained.
• Movement between municipalities is prohibited between 23h00 on 27 November and 05h00 on 2 December and between 24h00 on 4 December and 05h00 on 9 December, except for exceptions already applied during the weekend.
• Schools will be closed on 30 November and 7 December. On these days civil servants have a point tolerance and private companies are recommended to lay off workers on these days.

Measures for municipalities with more than 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants:

• Compulsory curfew from 23h to 5h.
• Enforcement of compulsory teleworking.
• Closed shops by 22h00, restaurants and cultural facilities closed by 22h30.

In municipalities with more than 480 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants:

• Ban on circulation on the streets and closure of shops between 23h00 and 05h00 on weekends and public holidays (1 and 8 December).
• Closure of shops from 15h00 on 30 November and 7 December.

Economic support measures

The prime minister also announced economic support measures due to the state of emergency. The Apoiar.pt programme, worth 1,550 million Euros, will be one of them, with predicted loans of 750 million Euros and 160 million Euros in non-repayable funds.

Other economic support measures will be immediate access to Progressive Resumption Support as well as the postponement of social security and VAT payments on a quarterly basis.

Support to restaurants will be maintained in all municipalities where restrictions to activity are maintained, i.e. those with more than 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Next week there will be a reduction in commercial rents.

The measures were announced by the Prime Minister at the end of the extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting. António Costa began his speech with a thank you to all the Portuguese for the effort they are making yet another weekend, “sacrificing their freedom”, and also reminding all those to whom the measures are financially damaging, namely those working in catering and trade.

Incidence rate “extremely worrying”

The leader stressed that the number of new COVID-19 cases in the country remains “extremely worrying,” although week after week since mid-October there has been a consecutive drop.

“However, these results are still insufficient. We still have a lot of work to do to achieve the desired result,” he warned.

António Costa stressed that we have to persist to reverse the growth of new cases and “crush this extremely high incidence rate” and that it represents “a threat to everyone’s health, to the functioning of the NHS and is a very tough challenge for all health professionals who are doing their best to cure patients who are already infected”.

At the end of his speech, already in response to journalists, the Prime Minister rejected the dichotomy between opening up the economy and combating the COVID-19 epidemic and said that his government is united around a vision of balance on the measures to be adopted.

Asked about the clash of views between advocates of the primacy of the economy and sectors that want absolute priority in combating the health crisis, the executive leader replied: “There is no such dichotomy”.

Yellow municipalities (240 and 479 cases per hundred thousand inhabitants in the last 14 days)

• Abrantes
• Águeda
• Albergaria-a-Velha
• Albufeira
• Álcacer do Sal
• Alcanena
• Alenquer
• Alfândega da Fé
• Aljustrel
• Almada
• Almeida
• Almeirim
• Alvaiázere
• Amadora
• Anadia
• Ansião
• Arcos de Valdevez
• Arganil
• Arruda dos Vinhos
• Aveiro
• Azambuja
• Baião
• Barreiro
• Beja
• Benavente
• Borba
• Boticas
• Cabeceiras de Basto
• Campo Maior
• Cantanhede
• Carrazeda de Ansiães
• Cartaxo
• Castelo Branco
• Chamusca
• Coimbra
• Condeixa-a-Nova
• Constância
• Covilhã
• Crato
• Cuba
• Elvas
• Estarreja
• Évora
• Faro
• Ferreira do Alentejo
• Fornos de Algodres
• Grândola
• Ílhavo
• Lagos
• Lamego
• Macedo de Cavaleiros
• Mira
• Miranda do Corvo
• Miranda do Douro
• Mirandela
• Moita
• Mondim de Basto
• Montalegre
• Montemor-o-Velho
• Murtosa
• Odivelas
• Oliveira de Frades
• Oliveira do Bairro
• Oeiras
• Ourém
• Palmela
• Pampilhosa da Serra
• Penacova
• Penalva do Castelo
• Penamacor
• Penela
• Ponte de Sor
• Portalegre
• Portimão
• Reguengos de Monsaraz
• Resende
• Ribeira da Pena
• Rio Maior
• Salvaterra de Magos
• Santa Comba Dão
• São Brás de Alportel
• São Pedro do Sul
• Sardoal
• Sátão
• Seixal
• Sesimbra
• Sintra
• Sobral de Monte Agraço
• Sousel
• Tábua
• Tavira
• Vagos
• Viana do Alentejo
• Viana do Castelo
• Vila do Bispo
• Vila Flor
• Vila Nova de Paiva
• Vila Real de Santo António
• Vila Velha de Ródão
• Vila Verde
• Viseu

Orange municipalities (between 480 and 959 cases per hundred thousand inhabitants in the last 14 days)

• Alijó
• Amares
• Arronches
• Arouca
• Baião
• Barcelos
• Braga
• Bragança
• Cascais
• Castelo de Paiva
• Castro Daire
• Celorico da Beira
• Celorico de Basto
• Chaves
• Coruche
• Espinho
• Esposende
• Estremoz
• Figueira da Foz
• Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo
• Fundão
• Gondomar
• Lisboa
• Loures
• Mafra
• Maia
• Mangualde
• Mealhada
• Mêda
• Mougadouro
• Monforte
• Mora
• Nelas
• Odivelas
• Ovar
• Paredes de Coura
• Peso da Régua
• Ponte de Lima
• Póvoa de Lanhoso
• Póvoa de Varzim
• Proença-a-Nova
• Redondo
• Sabrosa
• Santa Maria da Feira
• Santa Marta de Penaguião
• Santarém
• Seia
• Setúbal
• Sines
• Torre de Moncorvo
• Vale de Cambra
• Valença
• Vieira do Minho
• Vila do Conde
• Vila Franca de Xira
• Vila Nova de Cerveira
• Vila Nova de Foz Côa
• Vila Nova de Gaia
• Vila Pouca de Aguiar
• Vila Real
• Vila Viçosa

Red municipalities (over 960 cases per thousand inhabitants in the last 14 days)

• Amarante
• Belmonte
• Caminha
• Cinfães
• Fafe
• Felgueiras
• Freixo de Espada à Cinta
• Guarda
• Guimarães
• Idanha-a-Nova
• Lousada
• Manteigas
• Marco de Canaveses
• Matosinhos
• Murça
• Oliveira de Azeméis
• Paços de Ferreira
• Paredes
• Penafiel
• Porto
• Santo Tirso
• São João da Madeira
• Sever do Vouga
• Trancoso
• Trofa
• Valongo
• Vila Nova de Famalicão
• Vizela

This Saturday, the prime minister will announce measures to combat covid-19 under the presidential decree that extended the state of emergency in Portugal for another 15 days, a diploma that was approved on Friday in parliament.

The announcement of the measures should take place at 1800 hrs, advances RTP3. The restrictions will be announced on Saturday afternoon, the second curfew, effective from 1 pm, within two weeks.

At the end of the parliamentary debate, the Minister of Internal Administration, Eduardo Cabrita, admitted that the number of municipalities with high levels of contagion will increase, now reaching two hundred, and added that the Government “will continue” to act in terms of restrictive measures based on a differentiation logic at the local level.

This estimate on the number of municipalities with more than 240 cases per hundred thousand inhabitants in the last 15 days was presented by Eduardo Cabrita hours before the Government met in the Council of Ministers on Friday afternoon.

Before the deputies, this member of the Government also considered it almost certain that, within 15 days, parliament would meet again to deliberate on a new presidential decree then for the second extension of the state of emergency.

The presidential decree that renews the state of emergency again allows the compulsory confinement of infected people or those under active surveillance, as well as the total or partial closure of establishments, services and companies.

According to the diploma, the exercise of the rights to freedom and displacement is partially suspended, allowing, “to the extent strictly necessary and proportionally, compulsory confinement in a health establishment, at home or, not being possible there. , in another place defined by the competent authorities, of persons carrying the SARS-CoV-2 virus, or under active surveillance “.

The draft decree of the President of the Republic also limits the exercise of private, social and cooperative initiative, establishing that “the total or partial closure of establishments, services, companies or means of production may be determined by the competent public authorities and changes are imposed on the respective operating hours or regime “.

This law also allows restrictive measures to be adopted to contain the covid-19 by groups of municipalities, including the ban on circulation in certain periods or days of the week.

According to the diploma, “in municipalities with higher levels of risk, necessary restrictions may be imposed to reduce the risk of contagion and implement measures to prevent and combat the epidemic, and the measures to be adopted must be calibrated according to the degree of risk. of each municipality “.

According to the draft decree, the exercise of the rights to freedom and movement is partially suspended so that these restrictions are allowed in the municipalities, “and, for this purpose, they can be grouped according to the data and assessment of the competent authorities, including a ban on driving on public roads during certain periods of the day or certain days of the week, as well as a ban on travel that is not justified “.