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Tuesday holidays are usually synonymous with a long weekend. And December 2020 has two. But in a pandemic year, and in the midst of a state of emergency, the government wants the holidays to translate into two extended retreat weekends. The Restoration of Independence, on December 1, and the day of the Immaculate Conception, on the 8th of the same month, as well as the days that precede them, will have strong restrictions on the circulation and operation of economic activities.
Across the country, moving between counties will be prohibited. The municipal borders “close” at 11:00 pm on the 27th and “reopen” at 05:00 am on December 2. The restriction is in effect again on the same dates, between December 4 and 9.
“We are going to have two holidays, both fall on Tuesday, and many times they invite the existence of bridges, which generate a large circulation throughout the country. And, if there is something we are all aware of, it is that the more we travel, the greater it is the risk of transporting the virus, so it is necessary to limit circulation, “said António Costa, justifying the repetition of the measure that was already taken on the first weekend of November.
Outside of this limitation are the “already known exceptions, for people who have to travel for work reasons,” explained the Prime Minister.
The rules are tightened on the weekends of November 28 and 29 and December 5 and 6, as well as holidays. In the 127 municipalities considered “very high” and “extremely high” risk, where there are more than 480 cases of contagion per 100,000 inhabitants, circulation on public roads will be prohibited between 1:00 and 5:00 in the morning. similar to what was decreed for the last two weekends. Commercial establishments will close again. In the 86 high-risk regions this prohibition does not apply, so the business can operate at the usual hours: until 10 pm, in the case of businesses, and until 10:30 pm in the case of restaurants and cultural activities. In the 65 moderate-risk counties, there are no extraordinary restrictions.
Even in “very high” and “extremely high” counties, the restrictions will be extended to two Mondays of the state of emergency, November 30 and December 7. Despite being working days, commercial establishments, including restaurants, must close at 3:00 p.m. In these two days, the Government has decided to suspend all teaching activities and has given tolerance to the public service, and has asked the private sector to do the same.
“On Mondays we decide that the closure of establishments and restaurants is only at 3 in the afternoon because these days, despite the tolerance of time in public service and the cancellation of school activities, the truth is that we cannot impose the suspension of work in the private sector. Many people will have to work, ”acknowledged the Prime Minister.
For Costa, the next two “long” weekends will be critical in the effort to combat the pandemic. “We are going to take advantage of the existence of these two holidays to try to make a greater effort to contain the pandemic, because there are only two working days. It is the way to disturb the life and economic activity of people as little as possible,” he declared.
These limitations will be in effect between November 24 and December 8. They will be reevaluated at the beginning of next month, as well as the list of municipalities at risk, according to the evolution of the pandemic in the country. The prime minister did not want to make predictions about what will come next, but assured that “no one will hesitate to adopt the necessary measures to stop the pandemic.” However, he confessed that “I would be very surprised if there was no emergency at Christmas.”
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