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Portugal enters this Thursday in a situation of calamity. With the change in the alert level, come new rules to control the spread of the virus.
António Costa, after the Council of Ministers, on Wednesday, and having described the evolution of the pandemic in the country as “serious”, said the measures that went into effect at midnight. And in addition to the new measures, the Prime Minister also reported that the Government will present to the Assembly of the Republic a law proposal so that wearing a mask on public roads is mandatory, “with obvious good sense of only when there are more people on the street”.
“Naturally, these measures took into account both the prospective analysis that is made periodically on the evolution of the pandemic and the assessment that the Minister of Health has made with public health specialists, epidemiologists on the behavior to adopt,” he said.
The president responded that he was “careful to inform the President of the Republic in advance of all the measures approved by the Council of Ministers.”
“What we focused on was not the measures that disrupt the activities, but the individual behavior of each one. For now, the appeal and recommendation we make to everyone is that everyone wear a mask even on public roads and that everyone download the application and use it effectively, ”he insisted.
Provided fines of up to 500 euros in the population on the mandatory mask on the street
Also on Wednesday night, the Government handed over to parliament the law that can make the use of a mask in the street and the “use of the covid StayAway at work or its equivalent, school and academic” mandatory, under penalty of fine between 100 euros and 500 euros.
The document, to which the SIC had access, establishes that anyone over 10 years of age must wear a mask on the street, provided that it is not possible to comply with social distance.
Regarding the StayAway Covid application, the executive wants it to be “Obligatory, in the labor or equivalent, school and academic context, the use by the owners of equipment that allows it “.
It is further determined that this obligation “It covers in particular workers in public functions, officials and agents of the Public Administration, including the state, autonomous and local business sector, professionals of the Armed Forces and security forces”.
A third provision establishes that the user with a confirmed case must, “as defined by the DGS”, fill in the codes in the app.
Who doesn’t need to wear a mask?
The law establishes three exceptions to this obligation, in the case of “dealing with people with cognitive, developmental and mental disorders”, who must have a polyvalent disability medical certificate or medical statement.
The exception is also provided for people with “clinical condition” what “does not agree with the use of masks “, attested by medical statement.
The use of a mask or visor is also waived if “It is incompatible with the nature of the activities that people are doing”, without explaining which ones.
The inspection of the law, according to the text of the proposal, “It is up to the Republican National Guard, the Public Security Police, the Maritime Police and the Municipal Police”.
The executive has urgency in the discussion of this diploma and proposed that it be discussed on Friday, October 23.
The scientific argument and the political decision are aligned
Vera Lúcia Arreigoso, a journalist for Expresso, clarifies the guidelines of this Government strategy to monitor the evolution of the pandemic.
While in the first wave the scientific argument was in one sense and the political decision in another, in this second phase there is already a greater harmony between the two parties.
The opinion of virologist Vítor Duque
Vítor Duque, virologist and professor at the University of Coimbra, in an interview with SIC Notícias, defends that “the measures must be aggravated” and among them is “the use of a mask on a daily basis.”
For the virologist there are situations in which there have been failures, that is, in which it is not possible to maintain physical distance.
He also believes that it is “logical that these measures are implemented primarily in the largest population groups and whenever necessary.”
In which European countries is it mandatory to wear a mask on the street?
In Italy, last week the mandatory use of a mask was announced in any public space, open or closed.
The French government has imposed the use of a mandatory mask on the streets of the cities most affected by covid-19.
In Belgium, it was mandatory to wear a mask in public places, open or closed. However, since the beginning of October, it is only mandatory in public transport, and the country’s authorities recommend the use of a mask in places where it is not possible to maintain social distance.
In Germany, it is necessary to wear a mask only in public transport, schools and shops. However, the government is considering strengthening measures, including wearing the mask in more places.
In the Netherlands, the government this week ordered the wearing of a mask indoors. Until now, only those traveling by public transport needed to wear masks.
In the Czech Republic, the government has imposed the mandatory use of a mask at public transport stops in the open air.
