Outdoor swimming pool rules outlined

Outdoor swimming pools will be subject, "with the necessary adaptations", to the rules of occupation and use of the beaches during the bathing season, within the scope of the covid-19 pandemic, according to the decree -law published today in the Diário da República.

Establishing the exceptional and temporary regime applicable to the occupation and use of beaches, in the context of the covid-19 disease pandemic, for the 2020 bathing season, which begins on June 6, the decree-law states that this regime “is applicable to the operation of outdoor pools with the necessary adaptations ”.

“The special rules to be adopted regarding the occupation and use of outdoor swimming pools, as well as the guarantee of water quality, health and safety of the facilities, are approved, within a maximum period of seven days from the date of publication of the present decree-law, by order of the members of the Government responsible for the areas of economy, local authorities and health, considering the guidelines of the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) ”, reads the diploma published today in the Diário da República .

Approved on May 15, in the Council of Ministers, the decree-law was promulgated by the President of the Republic on May 20 and “enters into force on the day after its publication”, that is, on Tuesday.

The exceptional and temporary regime for the occupation and use of the beaches, in the context of the covid-19 pandemic, applies to the continental territory, excluding the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira.

Beach users must ensure a physical distance of 1.5 meters between different groups and a distance of three meters between parasols, awnings or shades, as of June 6, determined the Government.

In addition to the “physical safety distance between users when accessing and using the beach and bathing in the sea or in the river”, citizens must comply with respiratory etiquette measures and proceed with frequent hand cleaning, as well as “avoid access to areas identified with high or full occupation ”

Regarding the state of occupation of the beaches, there will be "traffic light type", in which the green color indicates low occupation (1/3), yellow is high occupation (2/3) and red means full occupation (3/3) .

According to the Government, the information on the state of occupation of the beaches will be "updated continuously, in real time", namely in the InfoPraia application and on the website of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA).

Regarding the potential occupation capacity of the bathing beaches, the APA must, “within a maximum period of seven days from the date of publication of this decree-law”, that is, until June 1, determine the calculation method, “To guarantee the safety of users and the protection of public health”, considering the useful area of ??the area intended for bathing use, the tides, if applicable, and a minimum safety area per user, as well as the list of small beaches .

“The useful area of ??the area intended for bathing use is calculated from the length of the beachfront and from a depth strip of the usable area, counted from the limit of the spread of the waves, in the case of coastal beaches, or from the oscillation of the water level, in the case of transitional and inland waters ”, according to the decree-law that establishes the exceptional and temporary regime applicable to the occupation and use of beaches, in the context of the pandemic.

In addition to the access to the bathing area, measures are planned on the organization of the parking space, circulation on the crosswalks, seawall and waterfront, sanitary facilities, waste management, street vending, bathing equipment, including amphibious chairs, seagulls , slides, showers and sunbeds, and the operation of beach supports and equipment, namely restaurants, terraces and picnic areas.

As for the first aid posts, they must have thermometers and individual protection equipment and have an area for the isolation of suspected cases of infection by covid-19, determines the exceptional and temporary regime for the occupation and use of the beaches, in the context of the covid-19 pandemic.

In this context, the Government foresees the possibility of banning the beach, "for reasons of public health protection, in the event of serious non-compliance with the rules by the concessionaires or by the users".