ESCLH Conference in Lisbon (22-24 June 2022): Anti Covid measures currently implemented in Portugal

 

(Source: visit Portugal)

Measures Implemented in Portugal
[Updated on 9 June]

Portuguese government has been taking all necessary public health measures to protect the entire population as well as our visitors.

Measures in force may be reviewed in accordance to the evolution of the pandemic.

I – ACCESSIBILITY

1) Arriving to Portugal by Plane

MAINLAND Portugal

Allowed air traffic
All passengers are authorized to enter national territory, regardless of their origin or purpose of travel.

• Mandatory to present:
  - A valid vaccination EU Digital COVID Certificate (with a complete vaccination schedule or with a complete vaccination schedule and a vaccine booster)
  - Or a valid test or recovery EU Digital COVID Certificate,
  - Or a valid vaccination certificate (with a complete vaccination schedule or a vaccine booster) or recovery certificate issued by a third country, under reciprocal conditions
  - Or a negative RT-PCR Test (or similar NAAT test) - 72h before boarding, or
  - Or a negative Laboratorial Rapid Antigen Test- 24h before boarding (according to the European Commission list)
  
  Accepted vaccination certificates issued by third countries under reciprocal conditions: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Benin, Cabo Verde, Colombia, El Salvador, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, Iceland, Jordan, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Malasya, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, San Marino, Seychelles, Serbia, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies (Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man), Uruguay, The Vatican, Vietnam (https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/safe-covid-19-vaccines-europeans/eu-digital-covid-certificate_en).

• Children under 12 do not need to present certificate or test.
• The law that required filling in the Passenger Locator Form on all flights to Portugal has been revoked, so it is no longer necessary to present it at the time of boarding.
  
  
• This information has been updated in accordance with Order No. 4829-A/2022, of 22 April, published by the Portuguese government, which determines the measures applicable to airports and maritime borders and defines the supervision of their operation. In Portugal, border control is ensured by ANA, S.A., by the PSP (Public Security Police), and by SEF (Portuguese Immigration and Border Service) and is carried out randomly to 25% of passengers upon arrival in the territory. For further information, contact SEF - Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras directly (www.sef.pt / sef@sef.pt / gricrp.cc@sef.pt), the most suitable entity to clarify any issues related to border control in Portugal.

Domestic flights
Control measures do not apply to domestic flights.

2) Arriving to Portugal by Land

• There are no restrictions on entry into national territory by land. In the case of travel by land, each traveller must obtain information about the measures and restrictions existing in each one of the countries of transit, directly with their authorities.

3) Arriving to Portugal by Sea

Same rules as arriving by air apply.

IMPORTANT: The information available on this page is a summary of the measures published by the Portuguese government during COVID-19 pandemic. Before traveling, it is important to confirm the entry formalities and procedures with the airline company and the Portuguese border service - SEF (www.sef.pt / gricrp.cc@sef.pt), the entity responsible for the border control.  

II – GENERAL RULES

RULES IN MAINLAND PORTUGAL

• Mandatory mask:
  - in public transports, taxis and similar passenger transports;
  - access and visits to care and nursing homes and health facilities.
  
  
• General behavior guidelines
  - Social distancing;
  - Frequent hand washing;
  - Respiratory etiquette.

III – ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Clean & Safe
In tourism, the “Clean & Safe” seal was implemented  allowing tourists to have increased security and confidence in the use of accommodation establishments, in the various tourist services and tourist attractions.

National measures -  https://covid19estamoson.gov.pt/ (in Portuguese)
Azores -  www.visitazores.com / https://www.visitazores.com/en/trip-info / https://destinoseguro.azores.gov.pt
Madeira - www.visitmadeira.pt / www.madeira.gov.pt/Covid19 / https://covidmadeira.pt
Updated information on the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal at WHO - World Health Organization (https://covid19.who.int/region/euro/country/pt) or at DGS – Portuguese General Directorate of Health (https://covid19.min-saude.pt/).

Essential Travel definition
“Essential travel” is defined as trips allowing the transit, entry into and departure from Portugal for professional purposes, study, family reunions, health and humanitarian reasons and under the reciprocity principle.

Tests
a. Controls might be undertaken upon arrival to airport;

b. The test result performed in a test certified centre must include:
- type of test taken;
- passenger name (as per passport);
- date of birth;
- clear identification of the laboratory including the certification;
- the date and time the sample was collected and the explicit negative test result;
SMS is not a valid format.
Laboratorial Rapid Antigen Tests accepted according to the European Commission list.

c. Passengers who present tests that do not comply with the requirements must undergo a new test on arrival, before entering Portuguese territory, at their own expense, and must wait in a designated place, inside the airport, until the result is notified.

d. If you are a foreigner visitor and want to do the test for Covid-19 shortly after arrival, before departure or at any time in mainland Portugal or Madeira you can do it:

- at the Airport. Information at https://www.ana.pt/en/corporate/ana/faq;
- in a laboratory approved by the Portuguese Health General Directorate. Find the list at https://covid19.min-saude.pt/infoadrpcc/;
- if you are in the Algarve, you find information about testing points at www.visitalgarve.pt 

Vaccination
The vaccination schedule is considered complete after taking:
a) From a single-dose vaccine, for vaccines with a one-dose vaccine schedule;
b) The second dose of a vaccine against COVID-19 with a two-dose vaccine schedule, even if doses of two different vaccines have been administered; or
c) A single dose of a vaccine against COVID -19 with a two-dose vaccination schedule for people who have recovered from the disease, if it is indicated in the vaccination certificate that the vaccination schedule was completed after administration of one dose.

The vaccination schedule is complete 14 days after the last dose has been taken.

More information: www.dgs.pt / geral@dgs.min-saude.pt

EU Digital COVID Certificate
The EU Digital COVID Certificate is a digital proof that a person:

√ Has been vaccinated against COVID-19, or
√ Has received a negative test result (NAAT test or Rapid Antigen test), or
√ Has recovered from COVID-19.

* Children under 12 years old are exempt of presenting the EU Digital COVID Certificate or testing requirements
* It is valid for 270 days since the last dose has been taken, in a complete vaccination schedule (see "Vaccination", above). Under 18 years old, the vaccination certificate indicating the complete vaccination schedule will also be valid for periods of 270 days after issuance.

More information at https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/safe-covid-19-vaccines-europeans/eu-digital-covid-certificate_en

Certificates issued by third countries, under reciprocal conditions

Vaccination certificates must include:
– Given name(s) and surname(s) of the holder;
- Date of birth;
– Disease or agent targeted: COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 or one of its variants);
– Vaccine against COVID-19 or prophylaxis;
– Name of the vaccine against COVID-19;
– Marketing authorization holder or manufacturer of the vaccine against COVID-19;
– Number in a series of doses as well as the total number of doses in the series;
– Date of vaccination, indicating the date of the last dose administered;
– Member State or third country where the vaccine was administered;
– Entity issuing the certificate.

Recovery certificates must include:
– Given name(s) and surname(s) of the holder;
- Date of birth;
- Disease or agent from which the holder recovered: COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 or one of its variants);
– Date of the first positive result of the diagnostic test;
– Member State or third country in which the diagnostic test was performed;
– Entity issuing the certificate;
– Valid certificate

Non-reciprocity in the recognition by third countries of the validity of the EU COVID Digital Certificate issued by Portugal, in the modalities of vaccination or recovery certificates, prevents the recognition of the validity of certificates issued by these third countries.

More Travel Information
At the European Union website - https://reopen.europa.eu - you can find information on each country about borders, available means of transport, travel restrictions, health and public safety measures, as well as other practical information.

To know which are the travel regulations all around the world, check the map at the IATA Travel Centre.

The Portuguese airports (Lisboa, Porto, Faro, Ponta Delgada e Funchal) have implemented several initiatives to keep staff and passengers safer. A body temperature measurement system was implemented on arrival. More information at https://www.ana.pt/en/passenger-guide/what-you-need-to-know/covid-19

Portuguese Travellers
If you are Portuguese or you live in Portugal, in case you have a scheduled trip, you should consult the restrictions in each country on the Portal das Comunidades:
www.portaldascomunidades.mne.pt/pt/conselhos-aos-viajantes

If you are travelling and you need support on your return to Portugal, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
Portuguese travellers line - gec@mne.pt/ +351 217 929 714 / +351 961 706 472