Every 15 days, according to the Government, the impacts of the measures on the evolution of the pandemic will be assessed, "taking into account the permanent updating of data and the assessment of the situation by the health authorities".
These are the general rules and the schedule for lifting containment measures:
General Rules
- Mandatory confinement for sick people and active surveillance.
- General duty of home care (regardless of age or whether a person has risk factors).
- Mandatory use of masks in public transport (users and workers), in public attendance services, in schools (employees, teachers and students, except children up to the age of six) and in commercial and service establishments open to the public.
- Maximum capacity of five people per 100m2 in closed spaces.
- Funerals: family members are allowed.
- Hand hygiene and “respiratory etiquette” recommendations, as well as physical distance, are maintained.
- Religious ceremonies: community celebrations according to rules to be defined between the DGS and religious denominations.
From 4 May
- Work: mandatory teleworking regime, whenever functions allow.
- Public transport: buses with driver's cab and disinfectant gel dispensers (maximum 2/3 capacity and mandatory use of a mask, fines will be imposed for lack of use of masks).
- Public services: opening of decentralized customer service counters, such as tax offices and conservatories (mandatory use of a mask and attendance by appointment).
- Local commerce: opening of stores with open doors to the street up to 200m2, bookstores and car trade, regardless of the area (mandatory use of a mask, operation from 10:00 am and capacity of five people per 100m2), hairdressers, manicurists and similar (by appointment and specific conditions).
- Culture: opening of libraries and archives (with reduced capacity and physical distance).
- Possibility to practice individual sports in the open air (without using changing rooms or swimming pools).
- Some accesses to beaches can open for the practice of nautical sports activities.
From 18 May
- Schools and social facilities: reopening of schools for the 11th and 12th years (with the use of a mandatory mask), from 10am to 5pm, from day-care centres (support to the family will be maintained until 1 June for “Families gain confidence”) and social facilities in the area of ??disability.
- Commerce: reopening of stores with an open door to the street up to 400m2 (mandatory use of mask, operation from 10am and capacity of five people per 100m2).
- Reopening of restaurants, cafes and the like (50 percent capacity and open until 11pm).
- Opening of museums, monuments and palaces, art galleries and the like (reduced capacity and physical distance).
From 30/31 May
- Restart of religious ceremonies, with rules to be defined between the Directorate-General for Health and religious denominations.
- Resumption of official football competitions.
From 1 June
- Work: partial teleworking, with outdated schedules or mirror teams.
- Reopening of Citizen Stores (mandatory use of mask and attendance by appointment).
- Opening of stores with an area greater than 400 m2 or inserted in shopping centres (mandatory use of a mask and opening hours from 10am).
- Reopening of day-care centres, pre-school and ATL.
- Reopening of cinemas, theatres, auditoriums and concert halls (with marked seats, reduced capacity and physical distance).
Just wish I could buy more masks and gloves
By David S from Algarve on 01 May 2020, 13:34
Hi, I hope that the travel ban will be lifted by the end of this month at most. Together with my wife, I will be able to travel to Portugal to make a residency plan.
By Mehdi tourani from Other on 01 May 2020, 14:18
Haven't seen anything anywhere about the thousands of property owners, who have been unable to visit and maintain their properties since mid March. Really hoping for air travel restrictions to be lifted soon!
By Markywarky from UK on 01 May 2020, 15:48
Highly inconvenient and mostly unworkable! Better to keep the country closed to all and the people locked up or in isolation! Meanwhile, keep selling the remaining assets as usually to foreign interests! Ah! Finally start to locally produce simple and trivial things like PPE, chrmicals, ventilators and test kits instead of continuing to import faulty ones from China and repeat the same mistakes all over again!
By Tony Fernandes from Other on 01 May 2020, 15:53
Ik hoop dat transavia z.s.m naar Portugal (Faro) kan. Kan ik mijn restaurant en dergelijke weer openen.
By E.S.F Hart from Other on 01 May 2020, 16:45
Since the WHO specifically stated that nobody should be wearing masks unless they are sick or are caring for sick people then all this mandatory wearing of masks goes against their advice.
In light of that I will not be wearing a mask, so whether shops are open or not is neither here nor there. They will not be getting my custom.
Unfortunately here in Portugal the same as most of the world, we now live in a military police state, not a democracy.
By Hazel from Beiras on 01 May 2020, 16:54
Will customers of supermarkets/ shops be required to wear masks?.
By Dave from Algarve on 01 May 2020, 18:22
No news about the resumption of golf and associated competitions- also if over 70s will be allowed to resume golf activities- or what restrictions may be imposed. Any news or advice?
By Lawton from Algarve on 01 May 2020, 19:34
I need a information about my self I have appointment at SEF in 15 April but it’s canceled because of COVID-19 have any information about SEF when it’s give me date
By Singh from Lisbon on 01 May 2020, 19:57
when will the car testing centres open again as there will be a mad rush to get cars tested
By james Osborne from Algarve on 02 May 2020, 09:07
Really?? Mandatory masks? This is worse than before, how stupid the portuguese government is?
I will never wear a mask, this is what makes you sick!
Seems like portugal is going backwards.
By Don from Lisbon on 03 May 2020, 09:29
I am wondering about dentists. The one I go to is currently closed and told me they didn't know when they will open again because of restrictions.
By Steve Andrews from Other on 03 May 2020, 12:31
Amazing isn’t it that, despite Portugal and the authorities here doing so well in containing the spread of the Covid-19 virus there are people who think protecting themselves - and more importantly others- is ‘highly inconvenient’ and ‘mostly unworkable’. Saying ‘I’m not wearing a mask so there’ - is naive, stupid and utterly selfish. Odd too how most of the indignant comments seem to come from Brits.
By Wyck from UK on 04 May 2020, 10:06
To all those idiots ranting and swearing about not ever wearing masks: You could be infected with the virus and might not know it. When everyone wears masks they protect each other by not spreading out the viral droplets. Any kind of mask be it N95 or just a plain cloth mask will certainly limit the range of of the droplet spread when you cough, sneeze or even speak ! When you are knowingly or unknowingly posing a threat to others the govt. is well within it's right to protect the people by implementing certain rules for the good of the masses. WHO has not advised against homemade masks.
So get some sense and WEAR A MASK !!
P.S. I am not from Portugal but am intending to visit soon but honestly dumb idiots who refuse to wear masks are seriously discouraging outsiders from visiting this beautiful country!
By Well Wisher from Other on 07 May 2020, 01:05
We are travelling ftom our home in Spain to the Algarve next month. Is it mandatory to wear masks when sitting in the hotel pool area?
By Lesley young from Other on 30 Aug 2020, 15:47