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It will be a fortnight with tougher measures, both nationally and in risky counties, now graduated in three levels. Thus conclude the decisions announced this Saturday by the President of the Government, António Costa, at a press conference where he announced the content of the decree for the execution of the state of emergency approved by the Council of Ministers on Friday to contain the pandemic. of covid-19.
At a general level, for the entire country, taking into account that this fortnight, which runs between zero hours on November 24 and midnight on December 8, includes two holidays on Tuesday, the Government decided to enact the ban. circulation between municipalities between 11:00 p.m. on November 27 and 5:00 a.m. on December 2, as well as between 11:00 p.m. on December 4 and 5:00 a.m. on December 9.
Regarding holiday weekends, in order to reduce the movement of people, the Government decided to give tolerance to public officials on Mondays, November 30 and December 7. The prime minister called on private employers to adopt the measure and also to lay off their workers.
Across the country, all classes will be suspended on November 30 and December 7. Wearing a mask is also mandatory in the workplace, where there is no two-meter gap or physical separation between workstations. And teleworking should be embraced whenever professional roles allow.
Hardening measures
Following the criteria of the European Center for Disease Control, the Government divided the country into four levels. Thus, as of Tuesday, November 24, the continent is divided as follows: 65 moderate-risk regions (which are those that register less than 240 cases of covid-19 per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days); 86 high-risk counties (between 240 and 479 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days), 80 very high-risk counties (between 480 and 959 new cases) and 47 high-risk counties (more than 960 new cases ).
In total, there will be 213 municipalities subject to special measures, 32 more than at present, of which 39 are new (because they have seen their epidemiological situation worsen, with more than 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants).
Of the 191 municipalities subject to special measures so far, 17 have been removed from the list, having registered less than 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days. Thus, 174 municipalities remain subject to more restrictive measures. However, due to the introduction of three levels of risk, 127 see the measures even more aggravated.
The current measures are maintained in the 86 high-risk municipalities. In other words, it is forbidden to circulate on public roads between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., every day of the week. The prime minister also announced the supervision of the use of teleworking in companies, by the Labor Conditions Authority, noting that there have been “many breaches.” Restaurants still close at 10:00 p.m. and shows at 11:00 p.m.
In the 80 very high risk counties and 47 very high risk counties, in addition to the general measures for the country and many of those in effect in the high risk counties, there are new stricter rules. The current driving ban regime is maintained. Thus, mandatory collection during the week, from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., and on weekends, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., as well as on public holidays from December 1 to 8. These days, commercial establishments have to close between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. And on the eve of the holidays, that is, on Monday, November 30 and December 7, the shops must close at 3:00 p.m.
Christmas and PCP
Noting that, when he asked the President of the Republic to declare a state of emergency, warning that it would be “prolonged”, the Prime Minister refused to specify what measures will be in force during the Christmas period. “I don’t want to speculate about December, January or February,” he said, but said: “I would be very surprised if there was no emergency at Christmas.”
Regarding the Congress of the PCP, which takes place between November 27 and 29, in Loures, a high-risk municipality, the prime minister emphasized the reading of the state of emergency law, which establishes that “meetings of the bodies The statutory parties (…) will in no case be prohibited, dissolved or subject to prior authorization ”. Therefore, he argued, neither the executive decree nor the state of emergency decree can prohibit the PCP from holding Congress, if it so decides. And he guaranteed: “Even if the Government wanted, even if the Assembly of the Republic wanted, even if the President of the Republic wanted, none of us could do it.” Adding, at the insistence of journalists, that it can only “respect the functioning of political parties”, as well as “their decisions.”
