The Portuguese Government has set up a Lockdown Easing Plan, crossing several scientific criteria. The plan is divided into four stages with a two-week interval between each stage, to be able to assess the impact of the measures on the pandemic’s evolution.
It has been established that the schedule set for the different stages of this lockdown easing can be amended given certain epidemiologic criteria used in defining the control of the pandemic, and also taking into account the National Health Service’s response capability.
The strategy to lift the measures has been developed as follows:
General Rules
- Working from home whenever possible
- Retailers open until 9 pm during the week, 1 pm at the weekend and on bank holidays or 7 pm for supermarkets and alike
- No circulation between councils on 20 and 21 March and during Easter (from 26 March to 5 April).
From 15 March
- Schools will reopen – state, private and coop schools and those of the social welfare sector for pre-school and the first cycle of basic education, as well as nurseries, child minders and nannies
- Activities for supporting family and curricular enrichment will resume in person as of 15March, as well as activities in afterschool recreational centres and alike, only for children and pupils who have resumed their schooling
- The possibility of resuming activities for retailers of non-essential goods who want to maintain their activity exclusively for home delivery or takeaway or selling at the door or via click and collect services
- As of 15 March, it is set that non-foodstuff retailers and services offered in retailers will close at 9 pm during the week and at 1 pm on Saturday, Sunday, and bank holidays, and food retailers will close at 9 pm during the week and at 7 pm on Saturday, Sunday, and bank holidays
- The opening hours for chemists/pharmacies is the same as that for retailers who sell OTC medication
- As of 15 March, restaurants and alike are allowed to sell beverages for take-away
- It is clarified that the prohibition to sell alcoholic beverages in retailers, including supermarkets and for take-away (from 8 pm onwards) applies until 6 am
- As of 15 March, hair salons, manicurists and alike will be able to operate, by appointment
- As of 15 March, bookstores and music shops will reopen, as will parks, gardens, green spaces and leisure areas, as well as libraries and archives;
- It will be forbidden to circulate between councils on 20 and 21 march and during Easter (from 26 March to 5 April).
From 5 April
- Second and third cycles of schooling (and afterschool recreational centres for the same ages) and social facilities for the disabled
- Museums, Palaces, art galleries and alike
- Shops up to 200 m2 big with a door to the outdoors
- Flea markets and non-foodstuff markets (upon decision by the municipality)
- Terraces outdoors (max 4 people per table)
- Low risk sports
- Exercise outdoors, up to 4 people and gyms, excluding group fitness classes
From 19 April
- Secondary education
- Higher education
- Cinemas, theatres, auditoriums, show rooms
- Citizen bureaus with in-person assistance by appointment
- All shops and shopping centres
- Restaurants, cafés and bakeries (max 4 people per table or 6 in a terrace outdoors) until 10 pm or 1 pm at the weekend and on bank holidays
- Medium risks sports
- Exercise outdoors, up to 6 people and gyms, excluding group fitness classes
- Outdoor events with restrictions in terms of number of attendees
- Weddings and christenings, 25% of the allowed number of people in the facility
From 3 May
- Restaurants, cafés and bakeries (max 6 people per table or 10 in a terrace outdoors) without time restrictions
- All sports
- Exercise outdoors and in gyms
- Major events outdoors and events indoors with restrictions in terms of number of attendees
- Weddings and christenings, 50% of the allowed number of people in the facility