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The Government decided this Thursday, December 17, to keep the lighter measures unchanged for Christmas, but decided to “stop” in the new year to avoid any spike in cases after Christmas and maintain the downward trend observed in the country. The number of new cases has been declining, but the country continues to record high daily mortality rates: for more than a week, Portugal has had no fewer than 80 deaths from covid-19 in one day.
The country’s municipalities will continue to be divided into four levels of risk and with three degrees of restriction from December 24 to January 7, the period of the new state of emergency, but there are no distinctions in the new year: the rules around 2021 will be the same for all counties. “This measure is only effective if it is the same throughout the country,” António Costa explained.
During the remaining days (except for Christmas), the municipalities with extreme risk levels (more than 960 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days) and very high (between 480 and 959 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants) continue have the strictest measures applied, there is also an intermediate level with more moderate restrictions (between 240 and 479 new cases per hundred thousand inhabitants) and a level of municipalities in which only the general measures of a state of emergency that cover the national territory (slight restrictions in municipalities with up to 239 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants).
Fewer municipalities at the extreme risk level
The figures advanced this Thursday by the Government show 109 municipalities with more severe measures: 30 regions with very high risk (five less than two weeks ago) and 79 with very high risk (one more). At the highest level of alert, the departure of Paços de Ferreira stands out, which became the municipality with the highest incidence rate in the country and which, since the first publication of these figures, was at the highest level. However, it remains at the second level of incidence, which means that severe restrictions continue to be applied there.
From the last fortnight until now, the Porto Metropolitan Area (AMP) began to have for the first time a municipality at the high risk level (and moderate restrictions), with the Vale de Cambra descent to the second step of the scale.
Contagions are decreasing in this area of the country and AMP now has only four regions at the extreme risk level, half of which it had in the previous fortnight: Oliveira de Azeméis went from very high to extreme risk and Póvoa de Varzim joined , Trofa and Vila do Conde. Espinho, Paredes, Santa Maria da Feira, Santo Tirso and São João da Madeira continue with the application of severe measures, but now they are at a very high risk level, along with the seven remaining municipalities in the area.
In the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, the number of municipalities with a very high degree of risk increased, with the entry of Moita and Montijo and the continuation of Almada, Barreiro and Lisbon. On the other hand, Loures fell to the level where moderate measures are applied, joining the 12 remaining municipalities of the AMP.
The Government also indicates that there are the same number of municipalities in the high risk level (92) and four more in the moderate risk level (77).
Same Christmas and New Years?
António Costa made it clear during his brief communication to the country that the most severe measures of the New Year serve to allow a Christmas with a relief of restrictions. The Prime Minister stressed that the Christmas celebrations must be carried out “with the utmost care”, being at the table “as little time as possible”, spending the rest of the time in the mask.
“I always said that I would apply the parking brake if necessary. Fortunately there is no need to pull [o travão] for Christmas. I am sure that all families will make an effort to organize. But we had to put a stop to the new year ”, explained the prime minister, António Costa, in the presentation of the seventh period of the state of emergency.
“We think it is the right balance. There will be times to celebrate in 2021, but it isn’t January 1 yet. We will celebrate between the second and the third quarter ”.
During Christmas circulation between municipalities will be allowed, as well as circulation on public roads, even if the latter has some limitations in high, very high, and extreme risk counties (moderate risk counties are out).
- At night from 23 to 24 is only allowed for those who travel;
- On the 24th and 25th it is allowed until 2 am the next day;
- On the 26th it is allowed until 11pm.
The relief of the measures will also be felt in the restoration. Restaurants can be open until 1 am on the nights of the 24th and 25th, being only limited on the 26th, when they can operate until 3:30 pm in the municipalities of very high and extreme risk.
OR New Year will have measures similar to those of a normal working day in municipalities with severe restrictions, in the case of December 31, and has limitation of circulation on public roads during the afternoon of January 1, 2 and 3.
The Council of Ministers defined for the New Year:
- Prohibition of circulation on public roads from 23:00 hours on December 31and in the days January 1, 2 and 3 from 1:00 p.m.;
- It remains prohibition of circulation between municipalities between 12:00 am on December 31, 2020 and 5 am on January 4, 2021, except for health, urgent or other specifically foreseen reasons;
- Review of the opening hours of the restaurantsthroughout the continental territory, establishing that, in the December 31, operation allowed until 10:30 pm; and on January 1, 2 and 3 until 1 p.m., except for home deliveries.
