Portugal orders COVID test, vaccination proof at hotel check-in (updated)
08/07/2021 18:15
(Adds details of Delta spread)
By Catarina Demony and Victoria Waldersee
LISBON, July 8 (Reuters) - Holidaymakers in Portugal will be
required to show a negative COVID-19 test, a vaccination
certificate or proof of recovery to stay in hotels or other
holiday accommodation, the government announced on Thursday, as
infections continue to rise.
Portugal's new daily case numbers have been rising steadily
in recent weeks, returning to levels last seen in February when
the country was under a strict lockdown. Nearly 90% of cases are
of the more infectious Delta variant.
As the Delta variant spreads, the country is struggling to
salvage the usually busy summer season.
Negative tests, vaccination certificates or proof of
recovery will also be required to eat indoors at restaurants in
60 high-risk municipalities, including Lisbon and the city of
Porto, on Friday evenings and at the weekend.
"For a long time, the only measure we had to our disposal
was limiting economic activity," said Cabinet Minister Mariana
Vieira da Silva. "With the digital certificate, and the more
frequent availability of tests, we have other ways of
guaranteeing security."
Holidaymakers and restaurant customers can use the EU
digital COVID-19 certificate. Rapid antigen tests will also be
valid, the minister said, and can be provided by hotels at
check-in. The new rules come into force on Saturday.
Children under 12 accompanied by a parent or guardian are
exempt.
Portugal's restaurant association said "there were already
too many rules and restrictions" which risk driving customers
away.
"This could destroy the ray of hope for many business
people," it said.
Customers and businesses who break the rules risk being
fined, up to 500 and 10,000 euros respectively.
The measure will allow restaurants to reopen for dinner on
Saturday and Sunday in high-risk areas, where they were forced
to shut earlier for the two previous weekends.
A night-time curfew, already in place 45 municipalities,
will be extended to a further 15 municipalities, including Faro,
the main city in the popular southern Algarve.
Portugal, population 10 million, reported more than 3,000
daily coronavirus cases on Thursday, bringing the total since
the start of the pandemic to 899,295.
Cases started to gradually increase after Portugal opened to
visitors from the EU and Britain in mid-May. But daily deaths
remain well below February levels with new cases primarily
reported among younger, unvaccinated people.
(Reporting by Catarina Demony, Victoria Waldersee and Sergio
Goncalves; Additional reporting by Patricia Vicente Rua; Editing
by Victoria Waldersee and Giles Elgood)
((catarina.demony@thomsonreuters.com; +351 915 616 444
(Twitter: @CatarinaDemony);))