Portugal’s president on Saturday enacted a decree to extend the state of emergency until 23 December in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, according to an official statement published on the president’s website on Saturday night.
The extension of the state of emergency was approved by parliament on Friday. The state of emergency is expected to be extended until January 7.
The regulatory decree approved by the Council of Ministers maintains the rules currently in force, but also eases measures for the Christmas and New Year period. The state of emergency in place includes a night-time curfew and a half-day lockdown across most of the country.
Prime Minister António Costa addressed the nation on Saturday and announced the measures and framework for the Christmas holidays.
A ban on domestic travel will not be in place between December 23 and December 26.
There is also no limit on gatherings per household on Christmas and the night time curfew will be extended from 11pm until 2am on December 24 and 25. However street parties are banned on New Year and outdoor gatherings limited to six people.
On Saturday, Costa stated that the government will on December 18 assess the measures planned for Christmas and New Year, depending on the evolution of the epidemiological situation in the next two weeks.
“I have to be frank and speak clearly and truthfully to the Portuguese: If things do not continue to go as they have hitherto, if things change radically, if we have an exponential growth of the epidemic again, we will have to apply the handbrake”, António Costa said.
In Portugal, 4,876 people have died from covid-19, according to the latest bulletin from the Directorate-General for Health.
