COVID-19 | Exceptions to lockdown

With the new lockdown starting, Abreu Advogados summarises the 23 exceptions covered by Decree n.º 3-A/2021, that regulates the modification and extension of the state of emergency.

1. The acquisition of essential goods and services;

2. Access to public services that provide face-to-face services by appointment;

3. Undertaking of professional services or similar when there isn’t any possibility of teleworking or the search for employment or response to a job advert;

4. For health reasons;

5. Emergency support to victims of domestic violence or human trafficking, as well as travel in order to protect children and young people at risk;

6. Assistance to vulnerable people, homeless, disabled, children, parents, elderly or dependents, or for other pressing family needs, particularly the fulfilment of the sharing of parental responsibility, in line with agreement between the parents or the competent court;

7. Attendance by minors at schools, creches and travel of those accompanying them, as well as travel of students to higher education institutions and other establishments;

8. Attendance for graduation and tests and exams, as well as inspections;

9. Attendance at activity centres for the disabled;

10. Physical activity and training for individual sports in the open air, as well as all activities of training and professional competitions and similar, without spectators and in compliance with the guidance of the Directorate General of Health;

11. Participation in religious ceremonies, including community celebrations;

12. Enjoyment of moments in the open air and walking pets, which must be of short duration and occur in the area of residence, alone or in the company of members of the same family with which one lives;

13. Assistance to animals by vets, animal keepers for veterinary assistance, carers of animal colonies recognised by the municipalities, volunteers with zoological associations carrying animals that need to travel to shelters or for municipal veterinary services for the collection of and assistance to animals, as well as for feeding animals;

14. Participation in volunteering in the social sector;

15. Visits to those living in homes for the elderly and the disabled, long-term care units that are part of the National Network of Integrated Care and other facilities dedicated to the elderly, as well as activities carried out in day centres;

16. Visits, when authorised, or the delivery of essential goods to people incapacitated or deprived of freedom of movement;

17. The exercise of respective functions of sovereign organs, leaders of social partners and political parties represented in the Parliament, as well as those who are granted free movement under the law;

18. The undertaking of official functions by staff of diplomatic missions, consulates and international organisations located in Portugal;

19. The participation in any quality in the electoral campaign or of the election of the President of the Republic in the terms of the Decree-Law n.º 319 -A/76, of the 3^rd May, in its current form, particularly for the purposes of exercising the right to vote;

20. Access to stations of post offices, banks and insurance brokers;

21. The exercise of the freedom of the press;

22. Travel necessary for entry to and exit from continental Portugal, including necessary travel to and from accommodation;

23. Other activities analogous in nature or for reasons of force majeure or imperative need, provided they are justified.

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