Prime Minister’s Press Conference following Council of Minister’s Meeting Thursday 6th January 2022
Prime Minister António Costa announced this Thursday, January 6, the new anti-covid measures, which come into force on January 10:
SCHOOLS – Classes resume on January 10, as planned. Class isolation when there is a positive case will end. In the next two weeks a testing campaign will be carried out in schools, in parallel with the vaccination operation, which also includes reinforcing the vaccination of teachers.
ISOLATION – People who have already received the booster dose of the vaccine are exempt from the isolation period, which will be reserved for infected people and cohabitants.
EXEMPTION FROM TESTING – Those who have been vaccinated with a booster dose more than 14 days ago are exempt from having to present a negative test to access places or activities that require it. Testing is still compulsory for visits to nursing homes or to patients in health establishments, as well as for access to large events, events without assigned seats or in improvised enclosures and sports grounds (unless otherwise decided by the Directorate-General of Health).
WORK – Compulsory telework is extended until January 14. After this date, it will be “merely recommended”, as at other times during the pandemic.
SHOPPING ESTABLISHMENTS – Bans on sales and promotions end, but restrictions on capacity remain: only one person per five square metres.
BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS – Reopen on January 14. Entry to these spaces will only be possible with a negative test. The ban on drinking alcoholic beverages on the public road remains in force.
BORDERS – The mandatory negative test is maintained for all flights arriving in Portugal and sanctions are maintained for airlines that do not guarantee compliance with these rules.
DIGITAL CERTIFICATE – Still compulsory for access to restaurants, tourist establishments and local accommodation, cultural shows, events with assigned seating and gyms. The digital certificate will again give access to cinemas.
António Costa also highlighted the fact that more than three million Portuguese people have already taken the third dose of the vaccine, indicating that there is capacity to give up to 94 thousand doses per day.
The Prime Minister also said that 89% of the population has completed the primary vaccination course and for the over 65 age groups and that there is “83% booster dose coverage.” The average daily administration of vaccines is “84 thousand doses” per day, he added.
António Costa also referred to the “very significant increase in testing” verified since the beginning of December, the month in which “five million tests” were carried out, with a record of more than 402 thousand tests on the 30th of December.