Portugal with 4,670 new cases and 17 deaths by Covid-19 in the last 24 hours – Observer
The GNR and SEF operation carried out this morning on the Caia border, in Elvas, Portalegre, went off without a hitch, with the majority of the citizens being inspected to ‘applaud’ the action, but there were also those who disagreed.
Starting at 11:00 am, the inspection, with six soldiers from the GNR and two elements from the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), entailed the diversion to the Caia service area of all vehicles entering Portugal via the highway A6.
In the service area, not all were inspected, but the drivers of vehicles stopped by the authorities, as well as passengers in vehicles, had to show the certificate of vaccination, testing, recovery or recovery of the covid-19.
João Silva, one of the first motorists to be inspected in this operation, told the Lusa agency that the action did not cause him any inconvenience and even agree, as anyone can originate “the transmission of the virus” from covid-19.
Stressing that he “already had knowledge” of the new rules for entering the country, through the media, this Portuguese motorist pointed out that it was not necessary to “show a test”, since he already has “the second dose of the vaccine”.
But the inspection operation did not please everyone and Cristina Sousa, who was alone behind the wheel of a car, confessed to Lusa that she disagrees with the new measures, because of the “immense time” that is wasted.
“I don’t think anything is right, because we work in Badajoz (Spain) and it’s difficult for us to do this all the time. We lost a lot of time and these five or 10 minutes that are lost will be missed later on”, he stressed.
Cristina, who said she works in the tourism sector, points out that the covid-19 pandemic has already “completely ruined” an area where she works and “now is spoiling again”, due to the new restrictive measures.
Like João, the Spanish citizen Jacinto Simancas was also warned and presented the “covid passport” to the Portuguese authorities to be able to enter Portugal and “shop and eat in Elvas”.
This action “is a good measure”, he stressed to Lusa Jacinto, noting that he was already prepared for inspection, after having seen “on television that there was control” by the Portuguese authorities at the border.
Also in a statement to Lusa, the commander of the Elvas Detachment of the GNR, João Lourenço, said that the people who entered Portugal through Caia and who were inspected during this action were “usually the medical documents”.
“We have verified that people are already sensitive to these inspection actions and, in general, they present the necessary documentation and in a very natural way”, said the Guardsman.
According to the commander of the GNR Detachment of Elvas, in a surveillance operation carried out this morning, also on the border of Caia, a person did not present documents and was notified to carry out a test for covid-19 in the health services.
The new measures to respond to the increase in the number of covid-19 cases in Portugal came into force at 00:00 today, coinciding with restrictions with the return to the calamity situation, which will continue until March 20, 2022.
To enter Portugal through land borders, citizens from countries outside the European Union and from EU countries considered to have a red or dark red risk level must be tested negatively.
Citizens from EU countries considered to be at low or moderate risk are only required to have a vaccination certificate.
To ensure that this measure is complied with at land borders, the GNR and SEF will carry out “random” inspection operations.