COVID-19

COMMON QUESTIONS

WHEN CAN I OPEN MY ESTABLISHMENT/COMPANY/SERVICE AND WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDED TIME?

The phasing and timetable for the reopening of establishments/companies/services was defined by the Government in its own diplomas. The phased opening permission of different establishments/companies/services and the hours in which they can operate are defined by the Government in its own diplomas.

Communiqué from the Council of Ministers of May 15, 2020

In this sense, given the new phase of deflation that begins on theMay 18, the following measures are established

permission to open retail and service establishments that have an open door to the street up to 400mtwo;
start-up ofcatering establishments and the like, as long as they comply with certain rules, and they are exempt from a license for the purposes of confection intended for consumption outside the establishment or delivery at home. The food and beverage consumption areas (food-courts) of the shopping centers remain closed;

IS IT MANDATORY TO DRAW A CONTINGENCY PLAN ON THE PROCEDURES TO BE TAKEN IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF A SUSPECTED CASE OF COVID-19? SHOULD THIS BE PUBLIC?

A good practice before the opening of establishments is the preparation of contingency plans, that is, determining which procedures must be followed in the event of the identification of a suspected case of COVID-19.
There is no obligation to publish the contingency plan, but all employees of establishments/companies must know the procedures to be taken when identifying a suspected case of COVID-19.

LOCATION / DISTANCES

Is it mandatory to reduce the maximum capacity of food and beverage establishments exemplified in the annex of Guidance nº 023/2020?

The figures only serve as suggestions for the arrangement of tables and customers. This suggestion must be adapted to the specifics of the food and beverage outlets and the characteristics of the users (for example, whether cohabitants or not).

Cohabitants can sit facing each other or side by side.

In our understanding, a family that cohabits together can fill an establishment at its maximum capacity even before COVID19.

Download the guidance here: https://www.dgs.pt/directrizes-da-dgs/orientacoes-e-circulares-informativas/orientacao-n-0232020-de-08052020-pdf.aspx

WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF RESTAURANTS AND BEVERAGES? SHOULD IT BE POSTED ON THE ENTRY?

The maximum capacity allowed and the posting at the entrance to the different establishments are defined by the Government through specific diplomas and must follow the legislation in force.

António Costa's press conference reported that the restoration may have 50% of its capacity, more than what was stated in Ordinance nº71/2020, however, there is still no legal diploma in the legal regime.

ORDINANCE No. 71-2020 (March 15)

Article 1.º - Restrictions on access to commercial spaces

1 — The affectation ofspaces accessible to the public of retail establishments, large commercial surfaces and commercial complexes must observe the maximum occupancy rule indicative of0.04 people per square meter of area.

2 — For the purposes of the preceding paragraph, «area» means the area intended for the public, including areas for collective use or circulation, with the exception of areas reserved for parking vehicles.

3 — The limits provided for in the previous numbers:

a) They do not include employees and service providers who are performing functions in the spaces in question; b) They do not apply to wholesale trade establishments.

Article 2 Restrictions on access to food and beverage establishments

The allocation of spaces accessible to the public offood and beverage establishmentsmust be limited to onethird of your capacity, as defined in article 133 of the annex to Decree-Law no. 10/2015, of 16 January, in its current wording

Decree-Law No. 10/2015

Article 133

Capacity of the establishment

The maximum number of places in establishments is calculated according to the area intended for customer service, deducted from the area corresponding to the mandatory circulation aisles, in the following terms:

a) In establishments withseats, 0.75 m2 per seat;

b) In establishments withstanding seats, 0.50 m2 per seat;

c) The reception and reception area, the cloakroom and the sanitary facilities are not considered as an area intended for customers, for the exclusive purposes of the preceding paragraphs;

d) In establishments that have rooms or spaces for dancing, these cannot exceed 90% of the area intended for customers.

SHOULD THE PASSAGE CORRIDORS HAVE 4 METERS FOR CUSTOMERS TO CIRCULATE (2 METERS FOR EACH SIDE OF THE CUSTOMER IN DISPLACEMENT)?
Passage aisles must ensure the distance recommended by the Directorate-General for Health between customers who are seated. As the exposure time between a walking customer and a seated customer is limited, the distance in these aisles does not have to be 4 meters. Notwithstanding the above, queues in passage aisles (for example, for payment or access to toilets) should be avoided, as there is an increase in exposure time between customers walking and sitting. In corridors where queues are expected, a distance of 2 meters must be ensured between all people.

Can physical barriers, made of materials such as acrylic, glass or curtains, serve to reduce the distance of 2 meters?
The physical barrier can be a method that helps to minimize transmission between people during the period when people have to be without a mask. The physical barrier also makes it possible to reduce the physical distance recommended by the Directorate-General for Health.

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT/MASKS

Is the use of a mask by customers mandatory when entering and circulating through the restaurant and beverage establishment?
The use of a mask by customers should be considered during circulation within closed establishments, when they are not at their table and / or at meal.

When the use of a mask is recommended, can it be replaced by a visor?

The visor must be used in conjunction with a barrier method that protects the mouth and nose.

SHOULD DISPOSABLE MATERIALS BE PREFERRED FOR SERVING FOOD OR DRINKS OR CAN DISHES CONTINUE TO BE USED? IS IT POSSIBLE TO WASH THE DISHES WITHOUT A MACHINE?

The choice of material used must be made by the respective establishment, taking into account its characteristics. These plastic-free disposable consumables already exist on the market, with less environmental impact.
Regardless of the type of material chosen, the establishment must ensure that cleaning and sanitation standards are met, following good practices and/or specific guidelines.
Dishwashing should be done in the dishwasher (preferred way) with a cycle that includes: prewash (to remove dirt/grease), followed by washing with warmer water, ending the cycle with thermal disinfection.
If there is no machine, the dishes can be washed by hand with water and detergent, immersed in a 0.05% sodium hypochlorite solution for at least 5 minutes, then rinsed with water at the highest temperature possible and left to air dry – do not use drying cloths.

GUIDANCE 14/2020

HYGIENE PLANS

Following da Guideline nº14/2020 - Directorate-General for Health (2020-03-21)that guides the hygiene of spaces., QSCONSULT thought it was good to help in the face of numerous requests from the general public. As we believe that a solidarity and social responsibility is up to everyone, we provide documentation to make your own hygiene plan. This page is being updated according to the DGS guidelines.

GUIDANCE INDEX

For those who have not yet had time to analyze the document, it is organized as follows:

1. Introduction
2. Characteristics of disease transmission and prevention
2.1. Critical surfaces in the transmission of COVID-19
3. General measures for public service establishments
3.1. cleaning techniques
3.2. Cleaning materials
3.3. cleaning frequency
3.4. Cleaning and disinfection products
3.5. Use of personal protective equipment by cleaning staff:
4. Cleaning and disinfection of surfaces in common areas
4.1. Sanitary facilities
4.2. Baby changing facilities in public bathrooms
4.3. Furniture and toys in public places of fun for children
4.4. Food preparation and cooking areas
5. Cleaning and disinfection of surfaces in the isolation area where a person suspected or confirmed of COVID-19 was
6. Cleaning and disinfection of surfaces containing blood or other organic products
7. Where can I get more information?

You should keep up to date by consulting the site https://covid19.min-saude.pt/

https://www.ihmt.unl.pt/covid-19-quais-os-desinfetantes-adequados/

HYGIENE PLAN:

HYGIENE PLAN EXAMPLE

CLEANING SEQUENCE

COLOR CODE

There is no universal color code, the most important thing is for the organization to separate materials in order to avoid cross contamination. This code is based onGuideline nº14/2020 - Directorate-General for Health (2020-03-21)

" Regarding cleaning materials, establishments must ensure that:

• There must be different cleaning materials (for exclusive use) according to the risk level of the areas to be cleaned;

• Cleaning cloths should preferably be single-use and disposable (use and throw away), differentiated by acolor code, for each of the areas, according to the level of risk. "