Covid and Christmas in Portugal: what are the restrictions?

Covid and Christmas in Portugal: a thorny issue for the Portuguese government at the end of the year. An extraordinary council of ministers was held on Tuesday December 21, 2021 to debate the subject.  At the end of this council, António Costa, Portuguese Prime Minister, announced the new measures implemented in Portugal with the aim of dealing with the exponential increase in cases due to the Omicron. The announced measures will be in place from December 25, 00:01 to January 10, 2022 inclusive.

Covid and Christmas in Portugal: travel to Portugal ? 

All passengers arriving in mainland Portugal by air must:.

• present a negative test on arrival even for vaccinated travelers: a PCR test less than 72 h or an antigenic test less than 48 h.
• complete individually, the Passenger Location Form (PLF).

By land or sea, border controls between Portugal and Spain are possible. For restrictions decided by the Spanish authorities, please consult the website of the French Embassy in Spain. Please note: disembarkation of cruise ship passengers is authorized in Portuguese ports and is subject to the same rules as air traffic.

In Portugal, isolation rules in the event of contact with a positive case are not the same as in France, and may be up to 14 days when it’s the Omicron variant.

Covid and Christmas in Portugal: General restrictions

From December 25, 2021, new measures will be introduced:

• reducing the number of people in stores = 1 person per 5m2,
• compulsory teleworking,
• bars and nightclubs closed, 
• All schools will be closed, from nursery to high school, public or private,
• 6 Covid-19 tests per month subsidized by the Portuguese state in pharmacies (tests reimbursed for people with a utente number = Portuguese social security number). If you don’t have an utente number, antigenic tests are around €30 and PCR around €100. Note: some labs like Unilabs have set up prefabs in the heart of cities to offer free antigen tests.

Covid and Christmas in Portugal: Special restrictions for Christmas and New Year

Certain restrictions will be in place specifically for December 24 and 25 and January 30, 31 and 1:

• ban on gatherings of more than 10 people on public roads
• Ban on alcohol consumptionon public roads,
• requirement to present a negative test even if vaccinated for:
  1. restaurants,
  2. hotels and seasonal rentals (alojamento local),
  3. cultural shows.
  4. sports venues
  5. casinos,
  6. events: weddings, christenings, company meetings…

Covid and Christmas in Portugal: Holiday vaccinations

For adults, the following can be vaccinated before the holiday season:

• People over 65 who received the 2nd dose more than 5 months ago,
• People who have a prescription for the 3rd dose.
• People cured of Covid-19 more than 150 days ago.
• People over 50 vaccinated more than 5 months ago with the single dose of Janssen.

No vaccinations between December 24 and 26 and January 31 and 1. On December 23, vaccination centers will be open exclusively to people aged 65 and over.

In conclusion

Covid and Christmas in Portugal are unfortunately intertwined again this year. Please continue to respect the rules set up by the country and make sure you are well informed if you have to travel. It’s important to keep abreast of developments and I invite you to visit the government and the site of the French Embassy in Portugal.

Finally, I’d like to remind you that if you have any symptoms on the spot, contact the SAUDE 24 number (Portuguese health service) at 808 24 24 24.

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