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Current state of play - Covid and post-Brexit

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sunseeker2010 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 01/June/2021 at 11:38
We were last over in September and are hoping to get over later this month. Is Albufeira busy at the moment? Can anyone advise on what Covid restrictions are currently in place?

Also, is there now a noticeable longer wait to get through Faro airport upon arrival following Brexit?
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JuliejH View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JuliejH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01/June/2021 at 11:54
We popped over last week and waited 50 mins to get through the border , but someone else on here waited 2 hours , you just have to expect a wait and be patient.
We found it quiet and the rules there similar to here, follow social distances and face masks in public . Restaurant and bars open though with reduced hours , beaches still quiet .
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sunseeker2010 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01/June/2021 at 14:23
Originally posted by JuliejH JuliejH wrote:

We popped over last week and waited 50 mins to get through the border , but someone else on here waited 2 hours , you just have to expect a wait and be patient.
We found it quiet and the rules there similar to here, follow social distances and face masks in public . Restaurant and bars open though with reduced hours , beaches still quiet .


Thanks for the update. Is it true that all bars and restaurants have to close at 10.30pm?

It will be interesting to see if the half-term break brings a significant increase in visitor numbers this week.
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cubsur View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cubsur Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01/June/2021 at 16:51
"Is it true that all bars and restaurants have to close at 10.30pm?"

Yes and for the foreseeable future. And it's out the door at 1030, so in effect last orders around 1000pm.

It is certainly busier here this week than last. Even the traffic is noticeably busier. Many tourists restaurants that have been closed for months are opening this week. But buusiness is pretty slim in the evenings so far.

In addition to what are now the normal mask wearing rules, masks must be worn while walking on the beach, even to and from the edge the 10 or 20 metres to where you want to sit.  Beach games involving more than two people are prohibited.
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sunseeker2010 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sunseeker2010 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/June/2021 at 22:22
That's good to hear that more restaurants have reopened and more people are around.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jayjan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/June/2021 at 22:42
New state of deconfinement from the Portuguese government:

Government announces new phases of deconfinement

Prime Minister António Costa stated that Portugal will have two new phases of deconfinement during the month of June: one from the 14th and the other from the 28th and that will last until the end of August.

At the press conference after the meeting of the Council of Ministers , the Prime Minister highlighted that the country "is in a position to continue the process of deconfinement" taking into account the positive evolution that the pandemic has had, with the level of vaccination evolving. as planned, with the situation under control in the National Health Service and with a reduction in the mortality rate related to the infection.

António Costa referred that the risk matrix that has been adopted by the Government will be maintained, but a differentiation will be introduced between the low density territories, which occupy more than two thirds of the continental territory, and the remaining areas of the continental territory, with greater population density.

The Prime Minister stressed that the current formula from 120 or 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants for 14 days "is heavily penalizing in low density territories." Thus, in low-density territories, the maximum thresholds will be doubled: they will be 240 when they used to be 120 and 480 where they used to be 240.

Release from June 14th

The first new deconfinement phase takes effect on June 14 and includes:

- Recommended telework in activities that allow it;

- Restaurants, cafes and patisseries with current rules and capacity until midnight for admission and 1:00 am for closing;

- Full capacity on public transport where there are only seats;

- Two-thirds capacity on public transport where there is seating and standing;

- Cultural shows until midnight;

- Showrooms with 50% capacity;

- Outside the concert halls, marked places and application of the distance rules defined by the DGS;

- Levels of training and amateur modalities with marked places and distance rules defined by the DGS;

- Sports venues with 33% of the capacity and, outside sports venues, rules to be defined by the DGS will apply.

Release from June 28

The second new deconfinement phase takes effect on July 28, will run until the end of August and includes:

- Public transport without restriction of capacity;

- Citizen Shops without prior appointment;

- Professional sports classes or equivalent to other rules to be defined by the DGS, with a capacity of 33% inside the venues and with other rules to be defined by the DGS outside the venues.

António Costa highlighted that the DGS may exercise specific rules for sports venues, such as mandatory testing if deemed appropriate, and added that there are restrictions that will remain in force during this period: bars and clubs will remain closed, festivals and popular pilgrimages will be Prohibited and weddings, baptisms and other events of a family nature must respect a capacity of 50% of the venues.

Penalty for councils that exceed maximum thresholds

The Prime Minister also mentioned the penalties for councils that during this period exceed the maximum thresholds.

For municipalities in low-density territories that exceed 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days and municipalities in high-density territories that exceed 120 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days, teleworking will be mandatory when functions allow, restaurants will be open until 22:30, cultural shows will be open at the same time and retail stores may be open until 21:00.

When the incidence rate exceeds 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants for 14 days (or 480 in the case of low-density territories), restaurants, cafes and patisseries maintain opening hours until 22:30 during the week and will have to close until 3:30 pm on weekends and holidays, cultural shows will respect the same time as the catering and weddings, baptisms and other family events will have a maximum capacity of 25%.

Prime Minister António Costa reiterated that the assessment will be weekly and the application of these restrictions will only take place after these maximum thresholds have been exceeded in consecutive weeks.

Polli the dancing cat strikes again.
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sunseeker2010 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sunseeker2010 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/June/2021 at 23:19
I hadn't realised bars were closed I thought they were just subjected to the early closing time.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cubsur Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/June/2021 at 07:44
Bars that do not have a licence to sell food have been closed since January. Those that have a licence to sell food have been able to remain open even if food is not sold or offered, subject to the various restrictions in place from time to time eg opening hours.

As of 14th June they can remain open until midnight but other establishments such as music bars, nightclubs and some places favoured by tourists and ex pats will not be allowed to open.

So you can be crammed into a train or bus, but not allowed into certain bars.

As you will have read, bars etc may have to remain closed until the end of August. A whole summer with no business will spell the end for many.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sunseeker2010 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/June/2021 at 09:24
Originally posted by cubsur cubsur wrote:

Bars that do not have a licence to sell food have been closed since January. Those that have a licence to sell food have been able to remain open even if food is not sold or offered, subject to the various restrictions in place from time to time eg opening hours.

As of 14th June they can remain open until midnight but other establishments such as music bars, nightclubs and some places favoured by tourists and ex pats will not be allowed to open.

So you can be crammed into a train or bus, but not allowed into certain bars.

As you will have read, bars etc may have to remain closed until the end of August. A whole summer with no business will spell the end for many.


Thanks for clarifying. I think it was a similar situation when we were over last year with bars not being able to open without a food license. What a mess!

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sunseeker2010 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sunseeker2010 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/June/2021 at 14:37
And just as things were looking up the British government is likely to move Portugal to the amber list.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MervynN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/June/2021 at 20:19
As I understand it seems that Portugal unfortunately is now on the amber
list making me wonder if we shall get there at all this year, and we were
looking forward to getting over .
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cubsur Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04/June/2021 at 07:49
Yes, Portugal is now too dangerous for the English to visit. The whole of Europe is now out of bounds it seems. Must keep out nasty foreign germs.

This could kill the tourist industry here.  Many businesses will not survive a second summer with few, if any, tourists from northern Europe. In former years British tourists have made up at least half of all visitors.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Algarveaddick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04/June/2021 at 10:12
Originally posted by cubsur cubsur wrote:

Yes, Portugal is now too dangerous for the English to visit. The whole of Europe is now out of bounds it seems. Must keep out nasty foreign germs.

This could kill the tourist industry here.  Many businesses will not survive a second summer with few, if any, tourists from northern Europe. In former years British tourists have made up at least half of all visitors.

Indian germs are okay though...

As you say mate, at least half the visitors and probably three quarters of the spend in bars and restaurants. 


Go away Duchatalet
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Citroen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04/June/2021 at 10:50
Wouldn't necessarily disagree with the UK decision, apart from the apparently made up variant that no one else seems to be aware of. The rate of covid seems about the same in Portugal & the UK at the moment, but both are heading in the wrong direction.

If Portugal only allowed in the fully vaccinated I think that would encourage people to holiday there who otherwise would not, keep the local economy going and help keep the locals safe at the same time.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sunseeker2010 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14/June/2021 at 10:58
How "busy" is the resort at the moment? Has the British shift from green to amber practically cleared Albufeira?
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