Madeira’s public and private premises are now accessible only with a vaccination certificate against covid-19 or an antigen test, but in a week access to most spaces requires both proofs.
The obligation to present one of the two documents applies from 00:00 today and involves the possibility for citizens to carry out free quick tests every seven days (the period during which the results are considered valid).
However, from 00:00 on the 27th (Saturday of the next week) the presentation of just one of the proofs (vaccination or rapid test) remains only for accessing supermarkets and grocery stores, public transport, pharmacies and clinics, churches and other places of worship, and to carry out urgent acts relating to justice and resort to other essential services.
On that date, after an adaptation period of one week, it becomes mandatory to present both the vaccination certificate and proof of the test to enter sports spaces, restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, bars and clubs, cultural events, cinemas, night activities , games, casinos and other similar social activities.
The measure – criticized by the opposition, which even refers to lack of legal support – is part of a set of restrictions announced this week by the Regional Government (PSD/CDS-PP), at a time when the archipelago, with about 251,000 inhabitants, registered an increase of the daily number of covid-19 cases.
Questioned by Lusa, constitutionalist Jorge Miranda considered on Friday that these measures “are unconstitutional”, since they should be approved “at the national level”.
However, faced with a possible unconstitutionality, the president of the Regional Government, Miguel Albuquerque, stressed that the measures “are taken within the framework of the contingency plan, with a view to safeguarding public health”.
“My concern is this and I think it’s good for Madeirans to understand this: if we lose the capacity to monitor and control the transmission chains, we will enter into a sanitary collapse”, he stressed.
In Madeira it is therefore mandatory to wear a mask in open and closed spaces and, as of today, there is also a change from a calamity situation to a contingency situation.
In residential structures for the elderly, weekly rapid tests are now mandatory for employees and residents, and only one visit per resident is allowed.
In relation to Christmas activities, namely the circus and amusement parks, all participants must be vaccinated and tested weekly, with the exception of children under 12, who should only be tested.
For access to the Christmas fair installed in the center of Funchal, a circuit will be created, controlled by the presentation of proof of vaccination and weekly testing, including non-residents.
The Government of Madeira maintains the resolution regarding passengers disembarked at ports and airports in the region, requiring a certificate of vaccination or recovery of covid-19 or rapid antigen test, requiring repetition between the fifth and seventh day for residents, students and emigrants and their families.
The resolution of the Government of Madeira with the new measures to combat covid-19 was published in the official newspaper of the region on Friday and is effective until December 15th.
On Thursday, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) placed the archipelago in the high-risk category for covid-19 on the map that supports travel decisions in the European Union (EU), shifting from orange to red.
The red category means that, in these European regions, the cumulative rate of notification of cases of infection in the last 14 days varies from 75 to 200 per 100,000 inhabitants or is greater than 200 and less than 500 per 100,000 inhabitants and the positivity rate of tests is 4% or more.