Portugal...and Spain. LEVEL 4

[nerodog]

Portugal - Level 4 - Do Not Travel

Do not travel to Portugal due to COVID-19.



Read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page before you plan any international travel.



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Portugal due to COVID-19, indicating a very high level of COVID-19 in the country. Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized vaccine. Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC’s specific recommendations for fully vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.



Visit the Embassy's COVID-19 page for more information on COVID-19 and related restrictions and conditions in Portugal.



Read the country information page.



From US Embassy. Also Spain is Level 4 at present. France is Level 3. UK is Level 4.

Hope this is short-lived.

 

[Passepartout]

[deleted]

 

[Passepartout]

So far, our trip to Spain/France is still on, and is insured, but the news is disturbing. I hope they get a handle on controlling Covid. Thanks for posting.

Here's the State Dept. advisory Spain Travel Advisory (state.gov)

 

[nerodog]

So far, our trip to Spain/France is still on, and is insured, but the news is disturbing. I hope they get a handle on controlling Covid. Thanks for posting.

Here's the State Dept. advisory Spain Travel Advisory (state.gov)

I am hopeful by the time you go and I go, we will go back to Level 3 or even 2. The govt is cranking out vax like crazy . Unfortunately, many younger people waiting are still going about their lifestyle. It includes groups. :-(.

Big meeting Parliament mtg today so expecting some announcements.

 

[nerodog]

Portugal lifts COVID-19 rules with three-stage plan

Portugal on Thursday announced a three-stage plan to lift COVID-19 restrictions, including scrapping a night-time curfew, as the country's vaccination rollout speeds up, helping to bring a recent surge in infections under control.

www.reuters.com

 

[nerodog]

Portugal lifts COVID-19 rules with three-stage plan

Portugal on Thursday announced a three-stage plan to lift COVID-19 restrictions, including scrapping a night-time curfew, as the country's vaccination rollout speeds up, helping to bring a recent surge in infections under control.

www.reuters.com

Update announced yesterday.

 

[nerodog]

New map.

 

[stslc]

While the CDC/State Department raise concerns, Airlines have lowered fares. We just booked a late Sept flight to Lisbon for under $600 which is about half normal. Fingers crossed things can clear up a bit before then. I'm really going through withdrawals and need a Eurofix.

 

[LisaH]

While the CDC/State Department raise concerns, Airlines have lowered fares. We just booked a late Sept flight to Lisbon for under $600 which is about half normal. Fingers crossed things can clear up a bit before then. I'm really going through withdrawals and need a Eurofix.

We went to Spain/France for 2 weeks in July. Everyone wore masks indoor and many people did so outdoor. Once I asked an older guy to take a picture for us, he put on a glove before he hold my phone. When we went to restaurants, they would take our names and phone numbers for contact tracing. I honestly felt safer there than back in US.

 

[nerodog]

We went to Spain/France for 2 weeks in July. Everyone wore masks indoor and many people did so outdoor. Once I asked an older guy to take a picture for us, he put on a glove before he hold my phone. When we went to restaurants, they would take our names and phone numbers for contact tracing. I honestly felt safer there than back in US.

Absolutely ! Mostly serious and now almost 70٪ have vax. Goal is 85 % by the fall. People are trying to be careful but watch the younger and some ex Pat's who put people at risk !

 

[nerodog]

By the numbers
More than a million people have been infected with covid-19 in Portugal. There was a time when that number seemed impossible, and another time when it felt like it was optimistically low, but here it is. Deaths are staying really steady, with an average of about 12 or 13 a day for basically the whole month so far. Cases meanwhile are dropping slowly but surely, from an average of about 3000 at the start of the month to an average of roughly 2300 yesterday. The numbers of covid-19 patients in hospital and intensive care are also dropping steadily. The Delta variant is now responsible for 99.5% of new cases.


Figures from today. Source: DGS


This is from a Portuguese virus newsletter.
70% fully vaxxed, two weeks early
We’ve hit our next vaccine milestone more than two weeks early, Diário de Notícias reports, triggering the next stage of rule relaxations ahead of schedule. As of Wednesday, 70% of Portuguese residents are vaccinated, as health authorities continue to jab about 100,000 people a day. It’s a goal we were initially expecting to hit on September 5. The next goal is 85% of the population fully covered, which had been pencilled in for October. Health Minister Marta Temido says Portugal will wait to see what the European Medicines Agency says as far as the need for a third dose, or booster shot, which the United States now recommends.


Figures until yesterday. Click here for interactive version.
Restrictions eased, two weeks early
In even better news, the early vaccine goal means we’ll see several rules relaxed earlier than expected, mostly to do with occupation limits, Público reports. From Monday, Restaurants, cafes etc can welcome eight people on an inside table and 15 on the esplanade and concerts, weddings and baptisms can be 75% full. Public transport limits have also been dropped, in a change that should also apply to ride-share vehicles and taxis. Uber, Free Now and Bolt have all separately loosened their restrictions on passenger limits in recent days, Público reports. In changes they were legally allowed to make months ago (June 14), all three platforms now allow passengers on all back seats, but not the one next to the driver. Taxis had already made the change. It’s unclear whether ride-share and taxis will now allow passengers to sit next to the driver. In other changes, commercial establishments can take eight people per 100m² instead of five and you can use public services without an appointment from September 1. Government ministers have explained that, for boring legislative reasons, the expected loosening of mask rules will have to wait for the Assembly of the Republic.

See what’s planned for the 85% vaccine milestone here

14-day COVID-19 case notification rate per 100 000, weeks 31-32
Source: ECDC

 

[nerodog]

Things are on the upswing. Still our bubble doesn't dine inside. Plenty of terraces and good weather. We shy away from group activities with strangers for the time being. My experience has been a few min vax waiting for something.... so we don't see them.