Speaking to journalists at the Telheiras Metro station, as part of this disinfection action that has already started on the Green and Red lines, the Minister of Environment, Matos Fernandes, said that the cleaning will be completed by Monday only on stations on these lines.

As for the trains, the official added that they had already started to be disinfected on Friday, with the cleaning completed in 75 carriages and estimating the conclusion of the disinfection of the rest by Monday.

Metro's official source added to Lusa that all stations - Green, Red, Blue and Yellow - will be disinfected by Wednesday.

“This, in fact, is a very effective product, a product that kills all microorganisms and, therefore, bacteria and viruses, and that achieves that same security for a month. There is a film that is formed around the surfaces where it is applied ”, explained Matos Fernandes.

Even so, the Minister of the Environment stressed that this disinfection action, carried out in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, does not aim to “invite anyone to ride public transport”.

"We know that public transport is essential for the country to continue to function", he stressed, adding that, despite the reduction in demand, supply will remain.

“Because by not reducing supply, we also have more surface on the metro trains themselves and people can travel further away from each other. And with that, in fact, we are reducing a lot what is the probability of contagion on the metro itself ”, he justified, referring that, on Friday, the Lisbon Metro“ had about a quarter of the passengers that is normal to have in a Normal day".

These disinfection actions will also arrive at Metro do Porto starting on Monday and on Transtejo and Soflusa ships starting on Tuesday, informed Matos Fernandes, considering that it is "a very large security increase".

According to a note sent by Metro de Lisboa, the product being used is called Microbe Shield Z-71, by the Zoono brand, and reveals “an efficiency greater than 99.99% after five minutes”.

The same statement indicates that the disinfectant "does not contain alcohol or harmful chemicals" and "proves to be more effective than other disinfectants with a long-lasting and prolonged action, keeping the biocidal effect active for up to 30 days".

“In trains, the disinfectant will be applied in the driver's cabins and in passenger salons, namely on seats, bars, handles, glass and other surfaces. At stations, fixed stationary and mechanical handrails, station furniture, automatic ticket vending machines, booths and points of sale, elevators and other facilities will be applied ”, the same statement specifies.

Metro de Lisboa also states that this disinfection action should be carried out over a period of six months.