Irish tourists will be able to fully enjoy sun holidays from October 1 as Portugal plans to lift their remaining Covid-19 restrictions.
From this date, full occupancy will be permitted in restaurants and cultural venus, as announced by Prime Minister Antonio Costa today.
He said: "As most of the restrictions imposed by law disappear, we are going to enter a phase that is based on the responsibility of everyone."
However, Costa warned: "We must not forget that the pandemic is not over.”
Restrictions that will remain in place include compulsory mask-wearing on public transport, at large events, in nursing homes, hospitals, shopping malls and hypermarkets. Last week, restrictions were lifted on mask-wearing outdoors.
Costa also announced that nightclubs and bars will reopen for the first time since March 2020, as a result of 83.4% of the population having received their second dose of the vaccine. This means that Irish tourists looking for a clubbing holiday will soon be able to enjoy party towns such as Albufeira in the south of the country.
Customers will be expected to show a digital vaccination certificate or a negative Covid-19 test upon arrival.
Table limits in restaurants and cafes will be lifted, as well as the number of people in a pod at cultural events, weddings and baptisms.
Hotels and gyms will no longer require digital certificates or negative tests, but air and sea travel and major cultural or sporting events will.
Irish holiday-goers who are flying to Portgual will require proof of vaccination, proof of recovery from Covid-19 or negative PCR or antigenic test. Children under 12 years of age are exempt from testing or quarantine requirements.
Portugal suffered from what was then the world’s worst surge of infections in January. Their vaccination rollout was ramped up over the summer as a result of this, and the sunny destination now leads in terms of the percentage of fully vaccinated population, according to Reuters.
As of Thursday, September 24, Portugal reported 885 cases of Covid-19 and five deaths.
