Council of Ministers approves adjustments to air traffic rules

Thursday's Council of Ministers (30) approved adjustments to the rules applicable to air traffic.

Assim, the resolution states that passengers on flights originating in countries considered to be at epidemiological risk who do not present boarding on the aircraft may be refused, upon departure, a proof of carrying out a molecular test by RT-PCR for screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection with negative result, performed on 72 hours prior to departure time.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Eduardo Cabrita, explained, at the press conference after the meeting, that countries belonging to either the European Union, want to the Schengen area, and that make up the list of countries considered to be without epidemiological risk, approved by recommendation of the European Commission, there is a regime of free access to national airports subject to general temperature control measures.

– Any passenger, even on a European flight that registers a body temperature of 38 degrees or higher will be immediately directed to the health support structures that exist at national airports, disse Eduardo Cabrita.

National or country citizens belonging to the group of Portuguese Speaking Countries, who want to come to Portugal, and have not been able to perform the test due to lack of capacity at the destination of origin, have to do this in the airport infrastructure. If they don't at the airport, have 48 hours to perform the test at an entity that will be indicated at the airport.

The Minister of Home Affairs clarified that failure to comply with these rules may constitute a crime of civil disobedience. If there is a refusal to carry out a test at the airport by nationals or citizens residing in Portugal, these passengers are notified to 48 hours in the laboratory that will be indicated at the airport itself, said Eduardo Cabrita.

Por outro lado, os 5 municipalities in the Metropolitan Area of ​​Lisbon that had a peak in Covid-19 cases will change from a calamity to a contingency state. The Minister of Internal Administration guarantees that the pandemic has descended in Amadora, Sintra, Loures, Odivelas and in the parish of Santa Clara in Lisbon.