Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa holds a press conference to announce the plan to gradually ease COVID-19 lockdown at the Ajuda National Palace in Lisbon, Portugal, on March 11, 2021. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced on Thursday the country's schedule of reopening after more than two months of lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, pledging that it will be a "prudent, cautious and gradual" reopening. (Photo by Pedro Fiuza/Xinhua)
LISBON, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced on Thursday the country's schedule of reopening after more than two months of lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, pledging that it will be a "prudent, cautious and gradual" reopening.
Starting from March 15, educational establishments for early childhood, take-away shops, beauty studios, bookstores, car trade, and real estate mediation can open.
As of April 5, schools, small shops, restaurants and the like with open-air tables, as well as museums and art galleries, can be opened.
As of April 19, institutions of secondary and higher education will be allowed to operate, as well as auditoriums, cinemas, theaters, and restaurants and similar establishments with tables in the indoor facilities.
After May 3, restaurants will be authorized to expand their service to more public, with the release of major religious events and ceremonies.
The prime minister said that "the effort of all over these two months has allowed reaching today the moment when, with certainty, we can speak of the plan for the progressive reopening of the society."
However, Costa said "we are still in a worse situation than we were in September last year," calling on "all Portuguese" to "maintain individual discipline in the use of the mask, hand hygiene and scrupulous compliance with the rules."
To date, Portugal has had a cumulative total of 811,948 COVID-19 infections and 16,635 fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic. Enditem
