Portugal to Reopen Beaches on June 6 in Bid to Rebuild Tourism

(Bloomberg) -- Portugal’s government plans to reopen beaches on June 6 as it eases confinement measures put in place to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Rules will include keeping a distance of 1.5 meters (5 feet) between people and signs will indicate how full each beach is, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said at a Lisbon news conference on Friday. Beaches may be closed again if they get too crowded. The government already allowed beach access for some sports.

Tourism, including on Portugal’s Atlantic coast, accounts for about 15% of the economy and 9% of employment. The country has been less affected by the pandemic than Italy or neighboring Spain.

The government started lifting restrictions on May 4, and Costa said Portugal will continue easing confinement measures according to a plan announced on April 30.

• Monday: Restaurants can reopen with capacity limited to 50%. Museums and shops with as much as 400 square meters can also open. Schools will open for students in the final two years of secondary education.
• June 1: Big stores, shops in malls and movie theaters can reopen.

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