LISBON - Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said yesterday that his country will return to the "state of calamity" as of December 1 (next Wednesday) with reinforced measures to curb COVID-19 infections.
The use of face masks will once again be mandatory in all closed spaces, the Council of Ministers (cabinet) decided yesterday.
The COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate will also be mandatory for access to restaurants, hotels, bars and clubs, sporting events and gyms.
Those wishing to enter retirement homes and health-care factilites, or attend major cultural or sporting events will be required to present a negative test regardless of whether they are vaccinated.
Costa said that "the first measure to be taken is the reinforcement of the vaccination campaign with the booster dose."
"The government has acquired in time the requisite amount of vaccine doses to be administered to each Portuguese," Costa said, adding that the country is "prepared to vaccinate eligible children."
A negative test will be mandatory for all passengers flying into Portugal, with "strongly increased sanctions" for airlines with fines of 20,000 euros (US$22,400) per passenger in case of non-compliance.
In the past 24 hours, Portugal registered 3,150 new COVID-19 infections and 15 deaths. The cumulative totals since the start of the pandemic stood at 1,133,241 infections and 18,385 deaths yesterday. Portugal has a population of around 10 million. – Xinhua, MPD
