Yesterday, the parliament approved the PSD bill that renewed the mandatory use of masks in public spaces for another 70 days, a measure that has been in force in Portugal since 28th October and which would have ended on 5th April.
The PSD bill was approved in general, with votes against Chega and Liberal Initiative, abstentions from BE, PCP, Greens and unenrolled deputy Joacine Katar Moreira, with favoUrable votes from PS, PSD , CDS-PP, PAN and the non-registered deputy Cristina Rodrigues.
The measure was initially introduced until January 2021, when it was extended for another three months.
In the diploma, the PSD proposes a renewal for 70 days: if the deadline starts counting from next Monday, April 5th, this obligation will extend until June 13th.
“The maintenance of the situation of public calamity due to the existing pandemic, which has determined the successive renewals of the declaration of state of emergency, strongly discourages the relaxation of the measures adopted in order to prevent and mitigate the transmission of the SARS-Cov-2 virus and of the Covid-19 disease, particularly the most basic ones, such as the mandatory use of a mask in public spaces ”, justify the Social Democrats, in the explanatory statement.
The bill approved today extends, without changes, the validity of the current law, which imposes the mandatory use of masks in public spaces. The regulation of this ruling "is the responsibility of the security forces and the Municipal Police", failure to comply with the use of a mask constitutes an offense, and provides for fines between 100 and 500 euros for non-compliers.
The diploma determines that the use of a mask (which cannot be replaced by a visor) is mandatory for those over ten years of age for access, circulation or permanence in public spaces and roads "whenever the physical distance recommended by health authorities proves to be impractical. ".
This obligation may be waived "in relation to people who are part of the same household, when they are not in the proximity of third parties" or by presenting a medical certificate of multipurpose disability or a medical statement attesting that the clinical condition or cognitive impairment does not allow the use of masks.
It is also not mandatory to wear a mask when "it is incompatible with the nature of the activities that people are carrying out".
Original article available in Portuguese at http://postal.pt/
