A beach in Portugal
(Picture: PA Archive)British holidaymakers can now ditch their face masks indoors in Portugal.
The country’s Health Minister Marta Temido announced the move on Thursday after it was approved in a Cabinet meeting.
The new rules took effect on Friday - several hours earlier than initially expected - after being published in an official State Bulletin.
Portugal has also ended the requirement to fill in passenger locator forms for people travelling to the country.
The relaxation of the rules on face masks follows a similar move by neighbouring Spain.
British tourists arriving in the UK’s favourite holiday destination have been able to ditch their face coverings for the first time in nearly two years in virtually all places indoors including shops and hotels since Wednesday.
As in Spain face masks still have to be worn in Portugal in hospitals and on public transport.
Mrs Temido said on Thursday: “We’re altering the framework because we understand the circumstances of the pandemic have changed.
“The protection offered by vaccinations and booster jabs is known to be very high, there are new drugs for serious illness that are becoming available, we have more knowledge about the disease and we have a favourable international situation.
“The summer months are also traditionally less favourable for the transmission of respiratory viruses.”
The use of face masks in both countries, where areas like the Costa Blanca in Spain and the Algarve in Portugal are hugely popular with UK tourists, were the most visible sign of the coronavirus pandemic.
Their obligatory use outdoors in Spain was only lifted in February after restrictions were reintroduced around Christmas.
Some experts have said they would have preferred face masks to remain obligatory in all public spaces indoors until after the summer.
There has been a mixed response to the lifting of the obligatory use of the face coverings indoors in Spain, with most tourists stopping using them in hotels and shops but many locals continuing to use them in places like supermarkets despite not having to.
Both the Portuguese and Spanish governments have reserved the right to tighten up the use of face masks if the Covid situation worsens.
