The Latest: Portugal tightens COVID-19 flight restrictions

The Latest: Portugal tightens COVID-19 flight restrictions

Portugal is tightening its flight restrictions due to COVID-19, introducing stricter limits on arrivals from other European Union countries where the pandemic has worsened

By The Associated Press

March 29, 2021, 9:28 AM

• 6 min read

An employee checks the newly arrived coronavirus vaccines from Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopharm at the logistics base set up to in the parking lot of the government office in the 13th district of Budapest, Hungary, Monday, March 29, 2021. (Noemi Bruzak/MTI via AP)

LISBON, Portugal — Portugal is tightening its flight restrictions due to COVID-19, introducing stricter limits on arrivals from other European Union countries where the pandemic has worsened.

The Interior Ministry announced Monday that people arriving from countries with an incidence rate of more than 500 per 100,000 population over 14 days must quarantine for two weeks and can only come on essential business.

That measure covers 11 EU countries, including France and Italy.

For another 15 EU countries with a case rate of more than 150 per 100,000, only essential travel is permitted to Portugal. Those countries include Germany and the Netherlands.

All arriving passengers must show a negative PCR test from the previous 24 hours.

Flights to and from the U.K. and Brazil remain prohibited except for repatriation flights.

———

THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

— AP Exclusive: Pandemic means far fewer eyes on kids’ welfare

— Merkel blames German ‘perfectionism’ for current virus woes

— AP Interview: Japan urges EU to ensure stable vaccine export

— Dear Normal: Were you really that great in the first place?

— Happy Monday: England embarks on major easing of lockdown

———

— Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

———

HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

BELGRADE, Serbia — Officials say around 22,000 foreign citizens have received coronavirus vaccine shots in Serbia over the weekend after authorities offered free jabs to anyone who showed up.

The vaccine seekers from neighboring Bosnia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and even Albania and Croatia received AstraZeneca shots at two vaccination centers in the Serbian capital, Belgrade.

Most of Serbia’s Balkan neighbors have been struggling with shortages and have barely started mass vaccination drives, while Serbia boasts of having ample supplies and one of Europe’s highest per capita vaccination rates.

Critics of populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic contend he is trying to spread his influence in the Balkans and to polish the ultranationalist image he acquired during Yugoslavia’s bloody breakup in the 1990s.

Serbian officials have denied that the invitation for vaccination of foreigners was politically motivated.

———

TOKYO — The government minister tasked with overseeing Japan’s coronavirus vaccination campaign has urged the European Union to ensure stable exports of European-made vaccines, warning that any attempt to suspend shipments amid a shortage in Europe would harm relations.

Vaccine Minister Taro Kono’s comments in an interview with The Associated Press come as it looks increasingly uncertain that Japan will be able to source the number of vaccine doses it wanted before hosting the Olympics in four months.

Japan’s domestic vaccine development has lagged behind other nations, leaving it reliant on imports. But sourcing enough imported vaccines is a major concern because of supply shortages and export red tape in Europe, where many are manufactured.

———

LONDON — England is embarking on a major easing of its latest coronavirus lockdown that came into force at the start of the year, with families and friends able to meet up in outdoor spaces and many sports permitted once again.

Under Monday’s easing, groups of up to six, or two households, can socialize in parks and gardens once more, while outdoor sports facilities can reopen after the stark stay-at-home order, which has seen new coronavirus cases fall dramatically over the past three months, ended.