In his televised address António Costa laid out the government’s plans for the gradual easing of lockdown in Portugal, stressing that general lockdown will continue until Easter, while nursery and primary schools will see pupils returning to face to face classes on 15 March, although secondary school students will only be back in class on 19 April.

In the overview of the measures, the prime minster stated that travel between municipalities would continue to be prohibited during the weekend until Easter but that shops, shopping centres and restaurants will be able to open again on 19 April.

Here are the basic rules outlined regarding the easing of lockdown in Portugal as planned by the government

- Until Easter the general lockdown will be maintained

- Prohibition of movement between municipalities until Easter: from 20 to 21 March and from 26 March to 5 April;

- Remote working will remain mandatory whenever possible;

- Opening hours of supermarkets and authorised retailers will be until 9pm during the week; 1pm at weekends and holidays (or 7pm for food retail).

From 15 March:

- Nurseries, pre-school, 1st cycle (and ATL for the same ages) can reopen

- Church aasses return from Monday. Easter processions are suspended;

- Trade at the door, hairdressers, manicurists and the like can reopen

- Bookstores, libraries and archives to reopen

- Automobile trade and real estate mediation to return

From 5 April:

- 2nd and 3rd cycle of schools (and ATL for the same ages) to resume face to face classes

- Shops up to 200 square metres with a door to the street can open

- Museums, monuments, art galleries, palaces and the like reopen

- Social facilities in the area of ??disability to open

- Fairs and non-food markets to reopen (this is a municipal decision);

- Terraces can operate (maximum of four people);

- Low-risk sports

- Outdoor physical activity for up to four people allowed

- Gyms without group classes can open

From 19 April:

- Secondary and higher education resumes with face to face classes

- All shops and shopping centres can open

- Restaurants, cafes and pastry shops (maximum of four people inside or six on the terrace), until 10 pm (or 1 pm on weekends and holidays)

- Cinemas, auditoriums, theatres to open

- Citizen stores with face-to-face service, but with appointment

- Outdoor physical activity for up to six people;

- Outdoor events with reduced capacity;

- Weddings and baptisms with 25% capacity.

From 3 May:

- Large outdoor events allowed

- Interior events with reduced capacity allowed

- Weddings and baptisms with 50% capacity.