The law was promulgated on 26 October by the President of the Republic and will come in to force on 28 October.
"The President of the Republic accept the diploma of the Assembly of the Republic which, exceptionally, determines, for 70 days, the mandatory use of a mask for access, circulation or permanence in public spaces and roads", says a note on the presidency website.
On 23 October, Parliament approved the mandatory use of a mask to access or stay in public spaces and roads, "whenever the physical distance recommended by health authorities proves impractical". The measure will be in force for 70 days, and may be renewed.
The rule will apply to everyone over the age of ten, although there are exemptions from the rules for “people who are part of the same family, when they are not in the proximity of third parties” or upon presentation of a multi-purpose medical certificate or declaration attesting that a clinical condition does not allow the use of masks. It is also not mandatory to wear a mask when "it is incompatible with the nature of the activities that people are doing".
The inspection "is the responsibility of the security forces and the municipal police" and failure to use a mask constitutes an infraction, sanctioned with a fine between €100 and €500.
Updated at 2pm, 27 October.
Sorry, your text is not complete. You forgot to include “where social distancing is impracticable”.
By Fiona from Algarve on 27 Oct 2020, 10:01
Well done it’s took a long time to become compulsory but hope this keeps coronavirus at bay.
By Annette hunter from Algarve on 27 Oct 2020, 10:07
Who is going to enforce the law? I have lived in my town of 17,000 for 13 years and rarely see a police officer.
By Greg from Other on 27 Oct 2020, 11:28
Take off the mask and smell the BS!
By José from Lisbon on 27 Oct 2020, 12:43
Tut, tut, tut Portugal News.... this is not correct - you should be ashamed. You have now exposed yourselves as pushing the government lies!
Face masks are only required outside if it is not possible to maintain the 'recommended' social distancing i.e. busy streets.
Disgusting!! All of you involved in this should hang your head in shame as you are all party to this deception which is destroying lives.
You'll go down with this rest of us in this not so 'Great reset' so just think.......you helped them take everything from you!
By Sarah L from Other on 27 Oct 2020, 12:52
You are giving the impression that a mask is mandatory at all times outdoors. That is not the case. It is only if you cannot keep the appropriate distance to other people.
By Malene from Lisbon on 27 Oct 2020, 12:58
Masks gives a false feeling of security.
But has no proven impact.
What helps is to keep the distance.
If people could keep distannce, but they do not.
Most persone doeen't care at all.
By Erik from Algarve on 27 Oct 2020, 13:33
Important job for the Police and GRN? To catch and fine those who do not wear mas?. Is that top priority for stopping crime? no!! But easy task to score some points.
By Gustav from Algarve on 27 Oct 2020, 18:11
Yet more copy & pasted google translated fake news from The Portugal News ..please employ some real human journos!
By Dave from Algarve on 27 Oct 2020, 18:15
masks did nothing to stem "cases" in Spain or Italy where they've been around since the infancy of pandemonium
someone is making a killing on the mask sales
hint, hint.. "made in China" and laced with chemicals
chances of getting Covid with mask 70% vs. chances without mask 4% according to American CDC
By Paula from Algarve on 27 Oct 2020, 19:46
When will the sheep awaken...
It is not about health, its about control.
The Portuguese are the worst. they´d walk off a cliff if the government told them it was to help stop a virus.
How long has it been since the dictatorship ended? now a new medical tyranny has been ushered it in...
By adam parker from Lisbon on 27 Oct 2020, 21:09
It is easy to prove wearing a mask is harmful whereas there is no evidence of any benefit they provide. Simply believing that their might be some benefit is not adequate. Believing that something would of happened had no masks is pure pseudoscience. All we need do is point to Sweden and the absense of any COVID depite their not wearing masks to prove conclusively the absurdity of the whole charade. There is no sense in paying a fine when it is an absolute fundamental right to breath freely. All anyone need say is they needed air and the mask would be an attempt at suffocating them which is attempted murder and highly illegal.
By Pedro from Lisbon on 28 Oct 2020, 08:23
Before State of emergency kicked in in Pt in March 2020 and DRS only "recommended" the use of masks, i was wearing a very thick cloth eyemask(for sleep, nothing else was available for us to follow recommendations) everytime i entered the supermarket(a public closed space i cannot afford not to visit, for weekly food purposes). So i´m not advocating that we don´t wear masks when it can benefit ourselves and others by way of preventing/reducing risk of covid-19 infection. Wearing it outside in places where ppl cannot afford do safely distance themselves from others: i follow the reasoning and can accept/understand the logic behind this move. However, in many places/instances up to now, i´ve seen how business owners treat infractors. Real eg, the most recent: last friday, between 9h30-10h am, at this gas station:Rua Frederico George - Eixo N/S -(Sentido S/N). I´m entering their shop(w/my mask on) and see a skinny elderly lady w/out mask just outside the door. She takes a common cloth handkerchief, bends it into a triangle, and enters the shop holding both ends of the handkerchief against her face. Inside, a worker sees this, explains she cannot do it this way (very gently, treating the elderly woman as if she were a child she loves v.much) and brings her a new surgical mask and places it on the elderly woman´s face. The worker didn´t charge for the mask; it was hers and she offered it for free just for the sake of compliance. I´m outraged. Because i hear ppl ranting and raging against young ppl for not complying, but older ppl, who anyway, by now would and should know better, can get away with murder...?!?? No police is ever called on these ppl. I´m fed up with masks, i smtms feel nauseous if i have to exert myself physically while wearing a mask. But that´s what this is like, some comply with great sacrifice, while others just get to poo on everyone else´s efforts and even get rewarded. Of THAT, i´m seriously fed-up.
By guida from Lisbon on 28 Oct 2020, 09:00
Absolutely outrageous!! Muzzles/Nappies on the face (especially cloth ones) has not been proven conclusively to work, yet this government is now mandating its use when social distancing is not possible?! It is the citizen's responsibility to decide when and if they must use the Muzzle/Nappie... not the government and certainly not the police! At the next election, vote these PS clowns out of power! Vote CHEGA!
By E. Medeiros from Lisbon on 28 Oct 2020, 09:51
Nothing to add to previous comment, just a correction on the info given: it wasn´t friday, it was saturday, on the 24/10/2020. Everything else is correct. Cameras at said establishment can prove this eg. Apologies to readers and PtNews, but point well made.
By guida from Lisbon on 28 Oct 2020, 10:28
What a load of rubbish, its all becoming pear shaped for the government. At the recent State sponsored Portuguese Formula 1 Grand Prix, thousands of people without face masks , zero social distancing and when it comes to the general populous living their daily lives slap them with fines of 100 to 500 Euros ???!!!!! What is this lunacy ! The People are fast losing faith in their authorities because of the double standards and sloppy haphazard fear based rules and regulations throw left right and centre for what in essence is just another flu season.
Time to rise up against this idiocracy !
By Jonas Stone from Lisbon on 28 Oct 2020, 11:58
Glad to see many people now realise this is the biggest pile of rubbish being imposed on people.
Quite right what people are saying about this paper.stop printing the government propoganda and do some proper research about viruses.who is in control of this country,the government or the DGS.
By Peter Shepherd from Lisbon on 28 Oct 2020, 15:00
All these people denying the seriousness of covid19 should take a visit to an intensive care ward, or speak to relatives who've lost someone. It's much worse than flu, and easily can kill the elderly and vulnerable, whom we have a duty to protect. The critics on here should be less selfish, they are only thinking of their own freedoms and not of their responsibility not to contaminate others.
By Billy Bissett from Porto on 28 Oct 2020, 15:14
Time to hand out Carnations to your friends at the GNR? They will understand the symbolic gesture. The GNR are men and women with families just like we are. They're only pawns of the government that has sold its soul to the NWO. If the GNR refuses to act on behalf of the government, this nonsense stops dead in its tracks.
Spanish hospital staff, including doctors and nurses staged a nationwide walkout today. They are sick & tired of being abused as "heroes" in this ugly drama by design.
By Paula from Algarve on 28 Oct 2020, 15:48
No need to remove your masks, to smell the political bs masquerading as concern for people's health. It's so thick coming from the drama kings and queens. The truth is, if they had to wear a mask to enter a grocery store for food, they would. Same with a pharmacy or doctor's office, to take care of their health. And same with their employment to keep a roof over their heads. And if you use the excuse of "it's a dictatorship", or "that's how it's done in Sweden," you will starve to death, your health will fail, and you will live on the street, because those excuses won't make a difference.
By William from Other on 28 Oct 2020, 16:34
You need to disable the comments on Covid-19 articles since the vast majority are anti-maskers spreading dangerous misinformation. Masks are proven to work by science and example (see Japan, Finland, New Zealand, etc.). These selfish, ignorant foreigners and ex-pats living in Portugal make the rest of us look bad.
By Mlisakova from Lisbon on 28 Oct 2020, 18:00
It is absolutely unfathomable how some commenters here still think masks are of no benefit to preventing the spread of the virus and make insane claims about other countries not being affected by COVID and so on.
People like these are the very reason why the virus is still doing the rounds and we all still have to carry on being nannied by the gvmt.
If only you had decades of training and experience, and maybe a degree or two in virology, maybe your opinion would be worth more than the pixels on my screen that you are wasting.
By Dr Ingstats from Porto on 28 Oct 2020, 18:44
Oh for goodness sake stop complaining. People are doing their utmost to stop this virus spreading and all some of you can do is complain. You would no doubt be the first to complain that not enough was being done if you or your loved ones were infected. Health care personnel have to wear masks for 12 or more hours every day and without complaint, so a few hours isn't going to kill you, the virus might though. Stop complaining and help eradicate COVID19.
By David from Algarve on 28 Oct 2020, 19:34
Why are people so opposed to wearing a mask for a short period when they accept wearing seat belts and not smoking in closed areas, clearing up dog´s poop etc.etc.?
By Jill Bowley Novaes from Other on 28 Oct 2020, 19:52
THE DOUBLE STANDARD OF THE GOVERNMENT IN TACKLING THIS PANDEMIC IS ALARMING BUT I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING. THEY ARE WHITES, THEY CAN FIGURE IT OUT IF THEY LIKE. PORTUGUESES IN GENERAL LIKE THINGS THAT ARE OF LITTLE OR NO IMPORTANCE, ALWAYS NEGLECTING THE LARGER ASPECT OF THINGS. EVEN MOST TIMES, COMMON SENSE IS NEVER APPLIED SINCE JUDGEMENT IS BASED ON SENTIMENT OR A KIND OF BROTHERHOOD. I SINCERELY DON'T SEE ANYTHING GOOD THAT CAN CHANGE THE SITUATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT NOR THE PUBLIC EXCEPT THE VACCINE.
By PRINCE AWODIKE from Lisbon on 29 Oct 2020, 01:27
I WILL LIKE TO POINT OUT THE CRUCIAL ASPECT THAT CAN CHANGE THE COURSE OF ANY PANDEMIC. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ENCOURAGE INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE BY ALL COST AS TO HAVE A MIXED GENETIC TRAITS THAT ARE STRONGER TO COMBAT DISEASES. THE MINDSET OF MASTERS AND SLAVES SHOULD BE SET ASIDE. A BLACK MAN HAS ENOUGH IMMUNITY AGAINST MOST DISEASES. LOOK AT GERMANY, SWEDEN AND SWITZERLAND WHERE THESE INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE IS HIGH, THE CORONAVIRUS IS VERY VERY LOW. WHY HASN'T THE VIRUS BE IN AFRICA THAT HAS NO MEDICAL FACILITIES NOR MONEY TO FIGHT IT? WELL, IT IS NOT BY FORCE. YOU GUYS CAN KEEP YOUR CANCEROUS GENES AND WE AFRICANS CAN KEEP OUR STRONG GENES. COLONIAL MASTER WHILE OTHERS ARE MOVING UP AND PORTUGAL IS GOING DOWN. LEARN FROM OTHERS AND STOP KEEPING THINGS TO YOURSELVES.
By PRINCE AWODIKE from Lisbon on 29 Oct 2020, 02:07
If "Dr Ingstats" is indeed a Doctor, maybe he can look into the accuracy of the so called PCR tests being used to diagnose "Covid". Bottom line is that they are so inaccurate , individuals are getting false positive readings along with the fact that if they are shown to have 'flu' symptoms (fever, headaches, coughing, running nose) they are immediately slapped with having "covid". Secondly, I invite"Dr Ingstats" to look at the global death rates for the last 5 years, in fact the death % growth rate between 2019 to 2020 is approximately the same as between 2013-2014 and the total death rate shows no considerable difference in the 3 years. So what is happening here ? One of the biggest concerns from a medical perspective is how patients in our hospitals with underlying conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancers are fast tracked to be tested for covid after which when are they are shown to have a covid positive reading and shown to have symptoms their original underlying condition is sidelined. Here, we are talking about hospitals quite literally being encouraged to put on death certificates, individuals who are in actual fact dying from cancers, diabetes etc with a cause of death by covid instead !
By Nuno.D from Alentejo on 29 Oct 2020, 11:40
Based on what 'Nuno.D' has said here, I presume one may say that deaths by covid this year has metaphorically speaking 'masked' the deaths of other diagnosis and symptoms not by small levels but rather exponentially.
If this is the case, this constitutes fraud on a massive level.
By Joseph Proctor from UK on 29 Oct 2020, 14:53