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4          The Portugal News ·21 Nov 2020                         News

      Portugal lockdown extended






      More restrictive measures, including the imposing of a curfew, under the state of
      emergency due to Covid-19, have now been applied to an additional 77 municipalities,

      bringing the total number of municipalities at high risk of transmission to 191.


                                                                                group of territories covered,   Council of Ministers reads.  unless they belong to the
                                                                                which continues to include   “In the case of    same household. These
                                                                                all the municipalities of the   establishments authorised   special measures are in
                                                                                metropolitan areas of Lisbon   to operate 24 hours a day,   force in the context of the
                                                                                and Porto, can be found at   they are allowed to reopen   declaration of a state of
                                                                                https://covid19estamoson.  from 8am”, determined the   calamity throughout the
                                                                                gov.pt/novas-medidas-para-  Government, noting that the   continental national territory,
                                                                                concelhos-de-risco-elevado/.   suspension of activities in   which was extended until
                                                                                The seven municipalities that   commercial establishments   11:59pm on 23 November,
                                                                                are no longer included are   in high-risk municipalities   according to the resolution
                                                                  Lockdown      Moimenta da Beira, Tabuaço,   “is a special standard and   of the Council of Ministers
                                                                  measures      São João da Pesqueira, Mesão   prevails over the other   No. 96-B/2020, published in
                                                                  have been     Frio, Pinhel, Tondela and   provisions of this rule that   Diário da República.
                                                                  extended to   Batalha.                has to do the contrary”.   According to the decree
                                                                  a total of 191   As for the measures   During the weekend, from   regulating the application
                                                                  municipalities   applied to the most at-risk   1pm, the restaurants in these   of the state of emergency,
                                                                  across        territories, the Government   municipalities can only   in force from 9 November
                                                                  Portugal.     decided to “put an end to   work for home delivery, said   and until the 23 November,
                                                                                misconceptions”, determining   António Costa, announcing   applicable throughout the
               overing 121     covered by the measures   Lisbon, Setúbal and Beja and   that, during the weekend, the   a support of 20 percent   national territory, in the
               municipalities   of the state of emergency,   included Viseu, Coimbra,   opening of trade will be from   of the loss of revenue of   most at-risk municipalities
               in early        which is in force until 23   Portalegre, Évora and Faro.  8am and the closure at 1pm,   restaurants on weekends in   identified in the state
      C November, the          November, including the   Reassessed every 15 days   except for pharmacies, clinics   which they have to close   of calamity applies the
      list of territories at high   prohibition of movement on   by the Government, the   and offices, food outlets up to   compared to the average of   prohibition of movement
      risk of transmission of   public roads during the week,   list is defined according   200 square metres with their   the 44 previous weekends   on public road, a measure
      Covid-19 was updated     between 11pm and 5am and   to the general criterion of   door to the street and petrol   (from January to October   that provides for a set of 13
      on 12 November by the    during the weekend between   the European Centre for   stations, among other cases.   2020).     exceptions of authorised
      Council of Ministers,    1pm and 5am. Among the 18   Disease Prevention and   With the permission of the   In addition, to the curfew,   travel. Exceptions include the
      with the Prime Minister,   capital district municipalities   Control (ECDC) of “more   mayor of the municipality   municipalities at high risk   performance of professional
      António Costa, announcing   in mainland Portugal, Leiria   than 240 cases per 100,000   and with the assent of   of transmission of Covid-19   functions such as health
      the withdrawal of seven   is the only one that remains   inhabitants in the last 14   the local health authority   have in place the duty to   professionals and civil
      municipalities the following   off the list. The municipalities   days”, and considering   and the security forces,   stay at home, mandatory   protection agents, obtaining
      day and the inclusion of   that continue to be at high   the proximity to another   “establishments whose   telework, the closure of shops   health care, going to
      77 municipalities from   risk are Viana do Castelo,   municipality in this situation   opening hours are earlier   at 10pm and restaurants at   food and hygiene outlets,
      midnight on 16 November.  Braga, Vila Real, Bragança,   and the exception for   than 8am may continue to   10:30pm, and the prohibition   assisting vulnerable people,
      With this update, a total of   Porto, Guarda, Aveiro,   outbreaks located in low   practice the usual opening   of events and celebrations   exercising freedom of press
      191 municipalities are now   Castelo Branco, Santarém,   density municipalities. The   hours, the resolution of the   with more than five people,   and short walks.

      DGS ensures price of vaccine will not be selection criteria


      The Director-General for Health has said that the selection of a vaccine against Covid-19 among the various candidates will depend
      on different factors, while ensuring that the price will not be one of them.

        “In Portugal, it is guaranteed not to be   point to levels of efficacy above 90 percent, the   still be launched with indications for certain   after data on its safety and efficacy in other
      the price that will define which vaccine we   Director General of Health said that this is   population groups for which they have   populations have been provided. 
      will use,” Graça Freitas said during the usual   precisely one of the most relevant criteria.  already been tested.  Also on the price of vaccines, Graça
      press conference to monitor the epidemio-  In addition to efficacy, it will also weigh up   In other words, if a candidate vaccine   Freitas recalled that Prime Minister António
      logical situation in the country.    proven safety, availability and characteristics.  against Covid-19 is being tested in healthy   Costa has already assured that vaccination
        Asked about the recent release of provisional   On the characteristics, Graça Freitas   adults between the ages of 18 and 64, it   against Covid-19 in Portugal will be done
      results of clinical trials of two vaccines that   explained that “often these vaccines may   will be administered to that group and only   universally and free of charge.
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