With summer approaching and temperatures rising, beach lovers in Portugal will no longer have to adhere to the last two years’ bathing season rules. The Portuguese government has not renewed the covid-19 beach restrictions such as the mandatory use of masks in beach bars, social distancing, and a ban on certain sports, reports CNN Portugal.

This year, the Portuguese government is recommending common sense, without mandatory covid-19 restrictions. For the last two years, people breaking covid-19 restrictions on beaches could face a fine between 50 and 100 euros, while fines for companies could reach 500 to 1000 euros. 

The Federação de Concessionários de Praia has congratulated the end of covid-19 restrictions on Portuguese beaches, stating “Now we can work at 100%, we can even organize events, like wedding parties… Our beaches are safe, we want to receive beachgoers and tourists safety and give the country a could image”.

Let’s take a look at the current state of covid-19 restrictions on beaches in Portugal.

Covid-19: Do you have to wear a mask on beaches in Portugal?

In the last two years, beach goers needed to wear a mark when using facilities and infrastructure such as beach bars, restaurants, and bathrooms. This is no longer required, however, some facilities have individually decided that employees will still wear masks. 

Covid-19: Do you have to social distance on beaches in Portugal?

Beach goers no longer have to social distance in the sand or while swimming in the ocean. For the last two years, a 1.5 meter social distancing measure was in place.

Sun umbrellas also no longer need to be placed at least three meters from each other to combat covid-19. Beach goers can place their sun umbrellas wherever they please, as well as companies renting these out. Groups of 10 or more people can also now place their sun umbrellas next to other each, no matter the distance. However, some sun umbrella rental companies will keep the three meter distance in place out of choice. 

Covid-19: Can you play sports on beaches in Portugal?

The covid-19 restrictions surrounding beach sports have also been removed. Surf classes are allowed to resume without a limitation on the number of participants. Other sports are also now allowed without restriction as in the past two years they were prohibited when the beach was too busy. Services such as massages on the beach are also allowed without restrictions. 

According to Sic Noticias, Portugal remains the country in the European Union with the highest number of new cases of covid-19 per one million population, as well as the second in the world. 

Entering Portugal: Covid Restrictions & Current Measures

Take a look at our guides to beaches in Porto, Madeira, and Lisbon, as well as naturist and nudist beaches in Portugal.

According to The Mirror, Princess Eugenie of England is moving to Portugal with her husband and son. The family is moving to Melides, Setubal after Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie’s husband accepted a job with the multimillionaire property tycoon, Mike Meldrum.

The couple will reportedly be splitting their time between London and the CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club in Setubal, along with their one year old son August.

While in the UK, Princess Eugenie, Jack, and August will be living at Ivy Cottage in Kensington Palace, reports the Telegraph. The Princess will remain working at the art gallery Hauser & Wirth through flexible hybrid work. 

Mike Meldrum co-founded the tequila company Casamigos with George Clooney, to which Jack is a brand ambassador. Princess Eugenie’s husband Jack will now join Mike Meldrum in one of his real estate ventures, the CostaTerra & Ocean Club in Comporta, Setubal where the couple will live. John will be reportedly working on the sales, marketing, and promotion of the resort. 

With around 300 residences in a 295-hectare community, the resort will feature access to a beach, tennis courts, restaurant, bars, as well as an 18-hole golf course. The large property is a luxurious private community, with house prices starting at 4 million euros for a custom lot. 

The family has lived in Frogmore Cottage in Windsor for the last two years, the official residence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who no longer live in the UK.

Princess Eugenie and Jack’s move coincides with reports that Harry and Meghan who are living in California have renewed their lease on Frogmore Cottage. The media is speculating whether the couple will be spending more time in the UK. Frogmore cottage underwent renovations in 2019, converting the property from separate apartments to a family home. 

Princess Eugenie is the granddaughter of the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II, and the youngest daughter of Prince Andrew. Jack Brooksbank and Princess Eugenie have been married for four years. 

Guide to Setubal

According to Sic Noticias, Portugal remains the country in the European Union with the highest number of new cases of covid-19 per one million population, as well as the second in the world. 

The daily cases have risen from 2.290 per one million inhabitants last week to 2.580 today, followed by Spain with 449, Greece with 351, and Germany with 3380. Taiwan has the largest daily case average currently with 3.420, followed by Portugal, and then Singapore (1.460), Australia (1.440), New Zealand (1.360), and Panama (727).

The average daily deaths per one million inhabitants also remain the highest in Porto with 3,19, followed by Finland (2,99), Spain (2,15), and Ireland (1,72).

There are around 180,000 news cases of covid-19 in Portugal every week and the R(t) is close to 1, according to DGS. Between May 17 and 23, there were 230 deaths associated with covid-19, as well as an increase in admissions to intensive care. 

The regions of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo recorded the most cases, with Madeira and the Azores recording the least cases. People between the ages of 40 and 49 years had the highest number of cases, whereas children younger than 9 years old had the least infections. 

92% of the population has been vaccinated, with 62% having had the first booster and 1% having had the second booster. The second booster has only been given to those 80 and over, with 7% of those in that age group having received it. 

The “open house” strategy for vaccination is still in place. Those over 18 without a COVID-19 booster, those over 12 without the first COVID-19 dose, and those over 50 without a booster against the flu can get vaccinated without an appointment. To get vaccinated in Portugal, head to a vaccination point or a health center. 

Entering Portugal: Covid Restrictions & Current Measures

As of Friday, there are 74 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Portugal, a 50% increase since Tuesday, according to the Directorate-General of Health of Portugal (DGS). Since Thursday, there are 16 more confirmed cases of monkeypox, known as “variola dos macacos”. The cases remain stable and are being accompanied by health care professionals.

The DGS announced that most of the infections were found in Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, but some have also been registered in the north of Portugal and the Algarve. It is also known that “all the confirmed infections are in men between the ages of 23 and 61, with most being under 40”.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported nearly 200 cases of monkeypox in 20 countries that are not known to have outbreaks of the disease. The WHO has stated that this epidemic is “containable”, proposing the creation of a stockpile that allows countries to equitably share the limited vaccines and drugs worldwide.

Experts still do not know what triggered the outbreak of monkeypox outside of Africa, according to the UN health agency. However, there is no evidence that genetic changes in the virus occurred and are responsible for its spread.

A leading advisor to the WHO told the Associated Press that the main theory to explain the spread of monkeypox outside of Africa was “sexual transmission at raves held in Spain and Belgium”. Nevertheless, scientists will find it difficult to figure out whether monkeypox has spread through sex or just close contact, according to the Associated Press.

Spain now has the highest number of monkeypox cases in Europe with 98 confirmed cases, including one woman. Cases have mostly been among men who have sex with men, according to Spanish authorities. LGBTQ groups in Spain are worried the spread of monkeypox will fuel stigma and homophobia, a sentiment that has also been shared in Portugal.

Mario Blázquez, the coordinator of health programs for the LGBTQ group COGAM in Madrid, told the Associated Press on Friday that “this is a disease that any member of the population can get,” Blázquez said. “We are facing an outbreak that unfortunately once again has hit LGBTQ people and especially gay and bisexual men. What’s happening is somewhat similar to the first cases of HIV.”

The WHO has also said that “stigmatizing people because of a disease is never ok. Anyone can get or pass on monkeypox, regardless of their sexuality”. The WHO says that while “monkeypox is not limited to men who have sex with men”, it has targeted a public health advice document for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men to “ensure that as few people as possible are affected”. The WHO has also warned that “transgender people and gender-diverse people may also be more vulnerable in the context of the current outbreak”.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Monkeypox

How did monkeypox start?

Monkeypox is a rare disease that is caused by the infection of the monkeypox virus and was first discovered in 1958 in colonies of monkeys. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

How does monkeypox spread? Is monkeypox contagious?

Monkeypox spreads through close contact with someone who has symptoms. Clothing, bedding, towels, or objects that have been contaminated with monkeypox can infect others. The virus can also spread through saliva as ulcers, lesions, or sores in the mouth can be infectious. According to the WHO, this means that people who have close contact with someone infected, such as health workers, household members, and sexual partners are at greater risk.

What are the symptoms of monkeypox?

Margarida Tavares, the director of the National Program for STDs and HIV for DGS has told the public to look out for symptoms such as fever, myalgia, headaches, and skin or mucosal lesions. According to the WHO, within 1 to 3 days after the appearance of fever, infected people often begin developing a rash. Monkeypox usually lasts between 2 to 4 weeks.

Why are gay and bisexual men getting monkeypox?

Monkeypox is not limited to men who have sex with men, anyone can get monkeypox, regardless of their sexuality, according to the WHO. It is still not clear why there is a higher proportion of cases among men who have sex with men. The LGBT correspondent to the BBC, Lauren Moss says: “As monkeypox is often caught through direct contact, once it’s introduced to a community, it is more likely to spread through that community among those who are in close contact with each other – for example, within a household or among sexual partners”.

The population of Portugal is becoming increasingly worried about the timeframe of the war in Ukraine. A study by Aximage in Portugal found that 39% of respondents believe the war in Ukraine will last over a year, according to the DN. In March, the number was just 16%. 82% of Portuguese people also feel that the war has impacted their personal life, a 23% increase since March.

The percentage of people that believe the war will last between six months to one year has doubled from 13% in March to 26% in May. Only 18% think the war will last less than six months, a percentage that was at 30% in March.

The study found that women (87%) feel the impact of the war more than men (77%), as well as people over 50 years old (by 93% for those between 50 and 64 and 76% for those over 65).

A loss of purchasing power was the main effect felt by 75% of those that feel impacted by the war in Portugal. In the study, many said they stopped buying certain products or started using public transportation, both activities that were reduced by 1% in the space of a month.

Over half of the respondents (55%) believe that the European Union’s (EU) help to the Ukrainian people is “enough”, particularly women. In March, 51% said the EU’s support was enough and 49% did not. Trust in NATO decreased by 14% to 49% between March and May.

The study also considered the sanctions against Russia to support Ukraine. Of the 45% of respondents that do not believe the EU’s support is enough, 54% support more severe sanctions against Russia. Moreover, the percentage of Portuguese that agree with the suspension of purchasing coal, oil, or gas from Russia decreased by 4% to 34%.

Most Portuguese people (62%) seem to look daily for information on the Ukraine war, particularly those over 65 years old (79%) and between the ages of 50 to 64 (69%). 93% of respondents get their news on the war through television, particularly women (94%) and those over 50 (95%). However, over half of those between the age of 18 and 34 prefer to obtain their information on social media.

The study was conducted through 805 interviews between May 19 and 24.

The Left Bloc (BE) and the Portuguese Communist Party’s (PCP) proposals to end the Portugal Golden Visa scheme were rejected on Tuesday, during the debate for the State Budget 2022. It seems the Portuguese left’s wish to end the golden visa will not come true any time soon.

The BE said on Twitter that “the golden visas only serve the oligarchs that want to launder their fortunes. They do not serve the population in any part of the country, only hurts them”. Mariana Mortagua from BE said in the debate that “We know who the golden visas serve and we know who buys them and for what: China, Angola, Russia. Autocratic regimes where parasitic elites germinate that go shopping for real estate in Europe in exchange for a residence visa and the opportunity to launder their money”.

Os vistos gold apenas servem os oligarcas que querem lavar as suas fortunas. Não servem a população em nenhuma parte do país, apenas a prejudica. Por isso mesmo, o Bloco propõe a sua eliminação. @MRMortagua pic.twitter.com/SJv2HNv1dr

— Bloco no Parlamento (@GPBloco) May 24, 2022

The PCP argued that the Portugal Golden Visa has not benefited the country, reminding parliament of the current data available. Until December of 2021, 10,254 residence visas were provided, with 9,585 from property investment, 649 from a capital transfer, and only 20 for job creation. The PCP says that “there was almost no productive investment or job creation” but rather “there is a clear contribution to real estate”, making it harder for the population to afford housing.

Proposta do PCP: Revogação do regime de atribuição de “Vistos Gold“
❌ Rejeitada
Votos contra: PS, PSD, IL, CH
👉 Vê aqui a proposta: https://t.co/Nu7BY8Yg3d
👇

— PCP (@pcp_pt) May 24, 2022

A proposal to end the non-habitual tax residency was also presented by the PCP on Wednesday, but this was rejected. The proposal said that the regime promotes an “unacceptable situation of fiscal injustice, privileging non-habitual residents, with access to lower taxes than those applied to residents”.

Guide to NHR Tax Regime

What is the Portugal Golden Visa?

The Portugal Golden Visa was created in 2012 to boost foreign investment and many argue it is one of the most attractive golden visa programs in the world. It allows non-EU citizens to qualify for a residency permit and eventually citizenship through investment. You do not need to live in Portugal to be eligible for the visa, you just need to stay in the country for at least 7 days in the first year and 14 days in the subsequent years. With a Portugal Golden Visa, you can follow the non-habitual resident tax regime if you would like which for some allows for a 20% flat tax rate.

Guide to the Portugal Golden Visa