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In Portugal, no measures have yet been released for the holiday season, but a forecast can already be made. Last Saturday, after announcing the new state of emergency measures – currently in force until December 8 -, António Costa launched a clue.
“I would be very surprised if there was no state of emergency at Christmas, because this means that the evolution of the fight against the epidemic would have been very rapid “, said the premier.
If the state of emergency is in place during the Christmas period, measures similar to those currently faced by the country can be envisaged, namely restrictions on traffic in certain periods and regions and early closure of shops and restaurants.
Spain limits celebrations to six people
In Spain, Pedro Sánchez’s government has proposed a “different” Christmas and New Year. Celebrations can only have six people and it is recommended that they be held outdoors, like the restaurant terraces. The exception applies to families of more than six members living in the same home.
“As for family reunions, we recommend that they be limited to cohabitants. If there is to be an outside guest who does not usually live with the family, there should be a maximum of six people at this event and preventive measures must be followed, “the Spanish government has established.
December 24th and 31st the compulsory collection in force in most of the Spanish regions will run from 11pm to 1am.
Despite these restrictions, the Spanish executive hopes that the “soul and spirit” of the holiday period will be preserved. Spain entered a six-month state of emergency in October.
In Catalonia, the regional government intends to allow gatherings of up to ten people at Christmas. A spokesman for the Catalan government said this week that this he will listen to the proposals of Madrid, but will make his own decisions.
The neighboring country recorded an additional 12,228 cases of new coronavirus infection on Tuesday, bringing the total to 1.6 million since the start of the pandemic. The dead are already 43,668.
The UK allows “bubbles” from three families
The UK has opted for more relaxed measures, allowing meetings of up to three families between 23 and 27 December. People will be able to congregate in homes, places of worship or outdoor spaces, and traffic restrictions will be relaxed.
However, the Boris Johnson government has stressed that these “Christmas circles” of people must be “exclusive” and cannot go to bars or restaurants together. Once formed, these “bubbles” of people cannot be enlarged to include more elements.
Families must travel between 23 and 27 December, with the exception of those traveling to or from Northern Ireland, who can do so between 22 and 28.
The measures were agreed on Tuesday between leaders from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. “The Christmas celebrations with family and friends must be decided personally by individuals, who must take into account the risks for themselves and for others”, warned the four regions.
“Before deciding to meet for the holiday period, we encourage you to consider alternatives such as the use of technology or celebrations in open spaces, “they added in a statement.
France eases measures in three stages
France, in turn, has opted for a three-step plan to relax the measures. The first part on Saturday, with the reopening of “non-essential” businesses, such as clothing stores and hairdressers, and religious spaces.
The second stage takes place December 15, when the birth will be revoked, but only if the daily number of infections is less than five thousand. The measure will allow the population to move around the country to spend Christmas with family and friends.
Instead of compulsory confinement, there will be a compulsory collection in France between 21:00 and 7:00. The restaurants and bars will be closed during the Christmas period.
The third phase is scheduled for January 20. If the pandemic curve allows it, restaurants, gyms and sports centers will reopen during the day.
According to President Emmanuel Macron, France has already passed the second wave of infections with the new coronavirus, so measures may begin to be relaxed. But he left a notice: “If we don’t want to go through a third confinement tomorrow, we need to intensify our vigilance, protecting our loved ones, especially the most vulnerable, when using a mask, even at home when we are with friends or family who do not live with us “.
Germany should allow meetings of up to ten people
In Germany, the approval of 16 federal states is expected meetings of up to ten people belonging to a maximum of two families during the holiday period, with children under 14 excluded from the calculation.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has already called on the leaders of each region to come together to provide a coherent and collective response to the German population.
The game, the easing of measures will take place between 23 December and 1 January. However, the country has canceled all Christmas markets.
It will be up to the local authorities to decide whether to allow or prohibit the use of fireworks on the last night of the year.
Christmas in Finland and Sweden may not be celebrated
In Finland and Sweden, Christmas celebrations may not be that easy. After a sharp increase in the number of cases in Finland, Helsinki has decided to implement new restrictions and close schools, libraries and swimming pools. Public events have also been banned.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin warned on Monday that, if these measures don’t work, a new state of emergency could be enacted in the country. However, the infection rate in Finland remains the lowest in Europe, with 69 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
In Sweden, which initially and for many months opted for an anti-containment policy in the hope that collective population immunity would be the best way to fight SARS-CoV-2, Christmas could also be very different from usual.
The country has already registered 6,400 deaths and faces severe pressure in nursing homes, where there is a shortage of professionals. In May, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven admitted that he had failed to protect his elders.
This month, Sweden’s leading epidemiologist told the BBC the people of that country must prepare for the possibility of traffic restrictions during the Christmas period, especially at a time when new infections mostly occur at parties and private events.
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