More than 1,400 passengers and 38 airlines were fined at Portuguese airports in 19 days for lack of a negative test to SARS-CoV-2, or recovery certificate, the Ministry of Internal Affairs told Lusa today.
Also note it is mandatory also for everyone to complete the Portugal locator form.
In a balance of this measure to contain the increase in the number of covid-19 cases, the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI) states that, between December 1 and 19, the PSP and the SEF inspected 652,833 passengers and 6,249 flights, which resulted in 1,434 administrative offenses.
Of the 1,434 infraction notices, 845 were raised by the PSP, which controls passengers from flights originating in the Schengen area, and 589 by the SEF, which supervises travelers from countries outside the Schengen area (outside Europe).
Since December 1st, all passengers arriving in Portugal by air are required to present a negative test or recovery certificate upon arrival.
Passengers on domestic flights, children under 12 and crews are exempt from mandatory testing, PCR or rapid.
The MAI also indicates that the 1,434 administrative offenses include eight foreigners who were refused entry into the country for not having presented a test on arrival, since only Portuguese citizens, foreigners residing in the airport are allowed to carry out the test at the airport. Portugal and diplomatic staff.
According to the MAI, 38 airlines were fined for having transported passengers without a negative test or recovery certificate, with most of these companies having transported people from Europe.
Airlines that transport passengers without a negative test incur a fine of between 20,000 and 40,000 euros per passenger and travelers are also subject to administrative offenses for not presenting a test on arrival, between 300 and 800 euros.
MAI data also show that 1,446 diagnostic tests were carried out at airports on passengers who entered the country without this document.
At land borders, also since December 1st, citizens from countries outside the European Union and from EU countries considered to be at red or dark red risk need a negative test or recovery certificate.
Citizens from EU countries considered to be at low or moderate risk must carry a vaccination, test or recovery certificate to enter Portugal.
As of December 19, the GNR and the Aliens and Borders Service had carried out 4,635 random inspection operations at land borders to ensure that tests were carried out for covid-19, according to the MAI.
Within the scope of these operations, 30,581 inspections were carried out in light vehicles and goods, motorcycles, trains, buses, which gave rise to 32 administrative offenses for lack of a test or recovery certificate.
The MAI also mentions that 354 diagnostic tests were carried out at land borders.
Mainland Portugal has been in a state of calamity since December 1st due to the increase in the number of cases and these border rules are in force until January 9, 2022.
In Portugal, since March 2020, 18,796 people have died and 1,227,854 cases of infection have been recorded, according to data from the Directorate-General for Health.
A new variant, Ómicron, classified as worrying by the World Health Organization (WHO), was detected in southern Africa, but since the South African health authorities issued the alert on 24 November, infections have been reported in at least 89 countries on all continents, including Portugal.