1. The Council of Ministers approved today the resolution declaring the situation of calamity throughout the continental national territory as of 12:00 am on December 1st.

The following changes are highlighted in relation to the current regime:

– It is determined, between 2 and 9 January 2022, the mandatory adoption of the telework regime in the continental national territory, regardless of the employment relationship, whenever the functions in question allow it;

– Teleworking is recommended whenever the functions in question allow it;

– The presentation of the EU COVID Digital Certificate for access to:

• tourist and local accommodation establishments;
• restaurant and similar establishments (not applicable in relation to stay in open terraces);
• events with marked places;
• gyms.

– The mandatory submission of a negative test (even for vaccinated) is determined when accessing:

• Visits to residential structures (for the elderly, integrated long-term care units of the National Integrated Long-term Care Network and other residential structures and responses dedicated to children, youth and people with disabilities);
• Visits to users admitted to health care establishments;
• Large-scale events without marked seats or improvised venues and sports venues;
• Bars and clubs.

– Closing of clubs and bars between the 2nd and 9th of January.

– A number of special measures are introduced in the field of testing for travel purposes, including:

• Requirement, for all flights to mainland Portugal, to present the EU COVID Digital Certificate in the form of a test certificate or proof of negative test (nucleic acid amplification test or rapid antigen test), carried out 48 hours prior to boarding time;
• the application, with the necessary adaptations, to land, sea and river borders of the rules applicable to entry into national territory by air is determined. 

2. The decree-law amending the measures in the scope of the COVID-19 disease pandemic was also approved, namely:

– Extends the exceptional and transitory regime for the reorganization of work and minimization of the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 disease infection within the scope of labor relations until March 31, 2022;

– Extends the extraordinary income support of workers until the last day of February 2022;

– Suspends classroom, non-teaching and training activities in educational establishments and social facilities between January 2nd and 9th, 2022, which will be compensated with 5 days of classes during Carnival and Easter breaks. At the same time, childcare schools are again guaranteed for children or other dependents in charge of workers mobilized for the service or on standby, and the previous system of justification for absences, associated with support for children or other dependents in a minor position, is replicated. 12 years resulting from suspension of classroom activities and non-teaching activities outside periods of school interruption, safeguarding food support for students who need it;

– Interruption, between January 2 and 9, of classroom activities at higher education institutions, without prejudice to ongoing assessments. 

– The use of a mask is now mandatory in:

• Spaces, equipment and commercial and service establishments, regardless of the respective area;
• Public buildings or buildings for public use where services are provided or acts involving the public are carried out;
• Stadiums (clarifying that it is included in the concept of venues for sporting events and celebrations);
• Buildings in which the entrance gates or the boarding, access or exit piers are located in the context of the use of public transport for passengers and air transport.

– The aggravation of sanctions applicable to airlines for passenger boarding without proof of negative test is established.

3. The decree-law establishing the regime for the implementation of the passenger location form, known at the European Union level as the Passenger Locator Form (PLF), was approved, establishing the obligation to fill in the said form by passengers on flights and ships of cruise to mainland Portugal. 

Within the framework of joint action at the level of the European Union and with the increase in the volume of air and maritime traffic, associated with the current evolution of the pandemic, it is important to enhance the use of this instrument, by imposing the obligation to complete the Passenger Locator Form and the definition of the rules for its implementation, to be applied during the context of the current situation of the COVID disease pandemic 19. The Passenger Locator Form constitutes, in this context, an essential instrument in allowing local, regional and national health authorities to carry out, through of data made available by passengers, the tracing of contacts regarding confirmed cases of COVID-19, in order to interrupt, at an early stage, possible chains of transmission.