The Prime Minister, António Costa, has announced today that the level of alert for the country has been raised to a state of calamity. Here are the key points relating to the new state.

+++ Disaster situation +++

From 00:00 on Thursday and until October 31, the entire national territory is now in a situation of calamity, an increase in the level of alert in the country.

The calamity situation is the maximum level of intervention provided for in the Civil Protection Basic Law.

António Costa explained that the objective of this decision is to make it possible "to take the measures that are justified whenever necessary, from traffic restrictions to other measures that may be considered locally".

+++ Prohibition of gatherings of more than 5 people +++

With the calamity coming into effect, gatherings in public of more than five people are prohibited.

This limitation, according to the chief executive, also applies to other spaces for public use of a commercial nature or in restaurants, with the exception of cohabitants.

+++ Weddings, baptisms and other family parties with a limit of 50 people +++

Family events, such as weddings, baptisms and others, which are scheduled as of today, are limited to a maximum of 50 participants.

The Prime Minister underlined that, in these same family events, "everyone will have to comply with the rules of physical distance and individual protection, such as wearing a mask".

+++ Prevented academic celebrations +++

In universities and polytechnics, academic celebrations and activities of a non-academic or scientific nature are no longer allowed ".

António Costa said that freshman reception ceremonies and other types of festivities that involve gatherings must be avoided at all costs so that circumstances that have already occurred as a result of contamination in events of this nature are not repeated.

+++ More inspection and heavier fines for non-compliance in stores and restaurants +++

The Government wants the security forces and ASAE to reinforce enforcement actions, both on public roads and in commercial and catering establishments.

In the event of non-compliance, especially in stores, restaurants or other catering spaces, it was decided to increase fines of up to €10,000 to establishments that “do not ensure scrupulous compliance with the rules in force regarding capacity”.

+++ Masks on public roads and covid stayaway app: between appeal and mandatory +++

Among the measures to combat the pandemic, the Prime Minister began by “strongly recommending to all citizens the use of a community masks in public whenever there are other people on the public road and also the use of the stayaway covid application and communication through it whenever there is a positive test ”.

A law has also been proposed by the Prime Minster, which the Government will send between “today at the end of the day and Thursday morning”, calling for it be made mandatory to wear a mask in public areas and to use the stayaway covid application in work and school contexts.

Thus, according to António Costa, the executive will ask parliament to approve “an urgent procedure to impose the mandatory use of masks in public and also the use of the stayaway covid application in work, school and academic contexts, in the Armed Forces and Security Forces and in the whole of the public administration ”.