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The Prime Minister, António Costa, announced this Saturday the measures that will be applied at Christmas and New Year, in the framework of the Covid-19 pandemic, framed in the State of Emergency, which will be in force from 00:00 hours on the 9th until 23:59 hours on December 23.
At the minute
Updated on December 5, 2020 | 16:55
The prime minister considers that the Portuguese have a “green way” to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, but warns that if the epidemiological situation worsens, the Government will not hesitate to “pull the handbrake.”
I have to be frank and speak clearly and truthfully in Portuguese: if things don’t continue as they have been, if things change radically, if we have an exponential growth of the epidemic again, we will have to put a hand on the brakes ”, says António Costa.
“When we increase restrictions, we are able to contain the pandemic”
“Experience has already shown us during these eight months that when we increase restrictions, we can contain the pandemic, when we lighten up, we increase the risk of transmission,” reveals the prime minister.
“Fundamental that we share affections, friendship, but we do not share the virus”
“Each family will know how to organize themselves. Christmas does not imply immunity for anyone,” António Costa recalls, stressing that it is “fundamental that we share affection, friendship, but we do not share the virus, this cannot be our Christmas gift.” .
Christmas measures could get worse
António Costa admits that yes Pnext assessment of the situation, to be held on December 18, if it is negative, the measures for Christmas can still be aggravated. “Anticipating that the risk is lower means increasing the risk,” he recalls.
The prime minister emphasizes that he continues to trust that “the evolution until then allows more municipalities to go to the moderate risk level.”
The restaurants are open until 1:00 am on Christmas and New Years Eve.
Restaurant hours:
– They will be able to work in lunches of 24 and 25;
– Nights of 24, 25 and 31: restaurants can be open until 1:00 am;
– On December 26 and January 1: they will be able to operate until 3:30 p.m. in very high and extreme risk municipalities
Meetings and parties prohibited on New Year’s Eve
Circulation between municipalities is prohibited between 00:00 on December 31 and 05:00 on January 4, 2021.
On the night of December 31 there will be no parties or public gatherings, but it is allowed to circulate on public roads until 2:00 am.
On January 1, circulation is only allowed until 11:00 p.m.
Measures in force at Christmas
“Assuming that we are all going to maintain the discipline that we have been having in recent weeks with the same rigor, for Christmas and New Years we will have some exceptions,” reveals António Costa.
– On December 24 and 25, circulation on public roads is allowed until 2:00 am the next day;
– On the nights of the 23rd and 24th, only those in transit are allowed to circulate;
Unlike other countries, there should be no limit on the number of people at Christmas dinner.
Traffic prohibited the next two weekends
In the next two weekends, circulation between municipalities is prohibited from 1:00 p.m.
The Prime Minister justifies the abandonment of new cases with the measures taken by the Government. António Costa renews measures to “get to Christmas with the least number of infected as possible.”
Positive evolution in municipalities at risk of contagion
In the last fortnight, there was a positive evolution in the number of municipalities that were at “very high risk” and “high risk” of contagion from Covid-19.
There are 27 municipalities that registered a positive evolution, with 12 less in “Extreme risk” and two less in “Very high risk”. However, there are more counties at moderate risk.
Check here for the updated list of risk tips.
Correlation between the evolution of the pandemic and the state of emergency
António Costa admits that “there is a clear correlation between the evolution and the declaration of the state of emergency. The evolution of the number of new cases has corresponded to a decrease in the level of transmission risk (RT), which is currently below 1 .
However, despite the positive developments, the Prime Minister recalls that “we continue to have a very high number of interns”.
António Costa begins the presentation of the measures that will be applied at Christmas and New Years.
The prime minister begins by saying that the evolution of the pandemic shows that the measures taken have had an effect in reducing the number of cases.
Since mid-November, there has been a drop in new cases per day and a significant decrease in new cases per week.
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