Like many other countries in the world, Portugal is dealing with the new virus, SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), that cause the coronavirus disease COVID-19. The Portuguese government decided to implement the confinement, with the state of emergency starting the 18^th of March. From the 2^nd of May, they implemented the state of calamity.

You can find useful the information in the following links:

State of Emergency: https://www.visitportugal.com/en/node/420733

State of Calamity: https://www.visitportugal.com/en/node/421175

The previous days to the start of the state of emergency, the ques in the supermarkets were quite long, and some products came to an end. Soaps, alcohol or even meat was complicated to find after the 13^th of March. Still, as in many other places, the most precious item was the toilet paper:

During the State of Emergency was allowed to go outside to take short walks or to running alone (around the neighbourhood) in a period that doesn’t exceed one hour per day. Most of the people were following well with the rules. They were going out with a mask, even if at the beginning the government was stating that was not necessary.

The university (FCT-UNL) was closed since the 16^th of March and most of the people were doing the so-called “home-working”.
We started to work at the laboratories after the 4^th of May. The university implemented some rules, as 40% of capacity in the laboratories, only one person per elevator, use mandatory of mask inside the university or the existence of hygiene equipment at the entrances of the rooms. Still, the university is quite empty, and the people that can avoid the presence there is doing it.

Once started the calamity state, the use of the mask is mandatory in most of the places. If you want to enter a supermarket, you need to wear it. Some mobility restrictions were eliminated but remained the suggestion of the home confinement. If you take a walk today outside, you will find several people walking, taking some sun at the beach or drinking something in the bars.

Even if I think that we are in the good direction, let’s see the advance of the situation in the next weeks, and hope that the people do not forget the virus before it has gone (or is more controlled).