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Prime Minister announces new de-confinement phases for 14th and 28th June 2021

 

After the end of the Council of Ministers meeting this Wednesday, June 2, António Costa spoke about vaccination status and its impact on the deconfinement phases, saying that “as planned” a new phase of the de-confinement process will take place.

As advised by epidemiological experts at the Infarmed meeting, the Government is keeping the risk matrix model (contrary to what Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa suggested), confirmed the Prime Minister. The changes will concern the adjustment of the risk criteria for municipalities with low population density as well as the plan for new deconfinement phases that should come into force from 14 June.

The Prime Minister analysed the evolution of the pandemic since March 9, highlighting “the sustained reduction” of the incidence rate and an evolution of the transmissibility rate “that has varied” between green and yellow. Even so, the summary of the evolution is “positive”, considers the Prime Minister.

António Costa says that “there is no high pressure situation in the National Health Service” and that is why it is possible to move forward in de-confinement.

“As we know the pandemic is consequence of human contact and the greater the population density the greater the risk,” said the Prime Minister. Now is the time to adjust the criteria for for low-density territories, António Costa added.

“Restrictions will only be applied, in low density territories, when twice the thresholds of the other territories are reached,” he detailed.

According to the Prime Minister, conditions are in place to proceed with a new de-confinement in two phases:

From 14 June

  • Telework is no longer compulsory and is now only recommended;
  • Restaurants, cafés and pastry shops maintain their current capacity rules, but can receive clients until midnight and work until 01h00;
  • Commerce with the respective licensing schedule;
  • Public transport with only seated places: full capacity;
  • Public transport with seating and standing: 2/3 capacity
  • Cultural shows until midnight. Concert halls with a capacity of 50 percent.
  • Outdoor shows: Marked places and distance rules defined by the DGS;
  • Weddings continue at 50% capacity of the venue;
  • Training and amateur modalities can now have audiences in the stands as long as the seats are marked and following the distance rules defined by the DGS.
  • Sports grounds with 33 percent of the capacity. Outside venues apply rules to be defined by the DGS

The second phase of de- confinement starts on 28 June, 14 days later. Here is what changes:

From 28 June

  • Sports – professional levels or equivalent with new rules to be defined by the DGS
  • Lojas Cidadão will open without prior appointment;
  • Public transport without capacity restrictions

What remains closed?

  • Bars and nightclubs still have no date to reopen (remember that they have been closed for over a year);
  • Popular festivals and festivities also banned.

ALGARVE – Important

Now the numbers will take into account tourism in the Algarve: non-residents will be counted in the municipality of residence and not in the Algarve councils where they take the test. However, in relation to foreigners, it will be different — which will always end up penalizing the incidence rate in the Algarve.

 

Weekly risk evaluation and the two new different paces for the Municipalities:

Municipalities with an incidence rate of more than 120 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants in high density municipalities or more than 240 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants in low density municipalities will have these rules:

–   Mandatory teleworking when the work duties allow it;

–    Restaurants, cafés and pastry shops open until 22h30;

–     Cultural shows with the same opening hours as restaurants;

–     Retail trade open until 21h00.

 

When the cases are above 240 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants or 480 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants for the low density the rules are stricter:

–    Mandatory teleworking when the work duties allow it;

–    Restaurants, cafés and pastry shops open until 22h30 or open until 15h30 on weekends and public holidays;

–  Cultural shows with the same opening hours as restaurants;

–   Weddings and christenings with 25% of the venue’s capacity.

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