The Government today approved the rules for accessing and occupying the beaches during the bathing season, with changes compared to last year in terms of sporting activity on the beach and the use of leisure equipment.
In a press conference at the end of the Council of Ministers, the Minister of the Presidency revealed that the rules applied in the 2020 bathing season are maintained “to a large extent” due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the exception of those “relating to sporting activities on the sand or the use of some leisure equipment on the beaches”.
"The remaining measures, such as the need to use a mask in access to cafes or restaurants and bathrooms, and the need to use a mask in the sand, are maintained", said Mariana Vieira da Silva, without specifying the changes to introduce this year.
Last week, also at a press conference after the executive's weekly meeting, the prime minister, António Costa, had revealed that the Government would keep this year the same rules for access to beaches that it established last year due to the pandemic.
"Beach users and concessionary entities must comply with the standards and guidelines issued by the General Directorate of Health (DGS), ensure physical safety distance, respiratory etiquette and the cleaning and hygiene of spaces, carry out frequent hand hygiene , use a mask, when this proves necessary and appropriate”, reads the statement released today, in the point regarding the approval of the decree-law that “establishes the regime applicable to the access, occupation and use of beaches”.
Last year it was determined that beach users should ensure a physical distance of 1,5 meters between different groups and a distance of three meters between parasols, awnings or thatch.
The use of sandy beaches was prohibited for “sports activities with two or more people, except nautical activities, surf lessons and similar sports”.
In the awnings, thatchs and beach huts, “as a rule, each person or group could only rent in the morning [until 13:30] or afternoon [from 14:00]”, with a maximum of five users.
A “traffic light type sign” was also installed, in which the color green indicated low occupancy (1/3), yellow high occupancy (2/3) and red full occupancy (3/3).
Information on the status of occupation of the beaches was continuously updated in real time in the 'Info praia' application and on the website of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA).
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