In view of the worrying development of the epidemiological situation in the country, which recommends the strengthening of measures to prevent and control the spread of the SARS-COV-2 virus, it has become necessary to reinforce the measures provided for in Presidential Decree No. 256/20 of 8 October 2020 (hereinafter also referred to as "PD 256/20").
In this context, the Angolan Government, by means of a new Presidential Decree, Presidential Decree No. 276/20, of 23 October 2020 (hereinafter also called "PD 276/20"), which came into force at midnight (0h00) on 24 October and revoked PD 256/20, has proceeded to the fifth update of the exceptional and temporary measures for the prevention and control of the disease, to be in force during the Public Disaster Situation, as well as to define the rules of operation of public and private services and social facilities.
Among the measures provided for in this new Presidential Decree, we highlight the following in particular:
i. Individual protection measures, it is recommended to abstain from circulation or stay on the public road from 10 pm to 5 am and the amount of the fine applicable in case of non-use of the face mask, when mandatory, or its wrong use, is now set between 10.000,00 AKZ and 15.000,00 AKZ;
ii. Maintenance of the sanitary fence in the Province of Luanda, whose period of validity was extended until 23h59 of November 22, 2020, being the entries and exits in the Province of Luanda subject to the testing of the SARS-COV-2 virus with negative result, being dispensed with any other type of authorization;
iii. Vulnerable citizens subject to special protection, when they have a work contract with a public or private entity, are exempt from face-to-face work and must be part of the 50% who work in a non-face-to-face regime;
iv. Administrative services in the public sector operate, throughout the country, from 8 am to 3 pm, and in the private sector between 6 am and 4 pm, with 50% of the workforce;
v. Continuation of the commercial activity of goods and services in general, with a new work schedule, between 7 am and 8 pm, with the limit of the face-to-face workforce changed to 50% and the presence of customers within the establishments limited to 50% of their capacity, increasing the amount of the applicable fine, which now ranges from 200.000,00 AKZ to 350.000,00 AKZ;
vi. Maintenance of the opening of restaurants and similar, by means of a new timetable, between 6 am and 4 pm, for local attendance and the timetable between 6 am and 10 pm for take-away services and home delivery, also increasing the value of the applicable fine, which now varies between 200.000,00 AKZ and 350.000,00 AKZ.
vii. Updating the amount of the fine applicable to the violation of the provisions on household gatherings (whose limit remains unchanged, i.e. up to 15 people), which is set between 200.000,00 AKZ and 300.000,00 AKZ;
viii. Prohibition of gatherings on the public road, of any nature, exceeding 5 (five) people, which may give rise to the application of a fine which now ranges from 200.000,00 AKZ to 400.000,00 AKZ.
ix. Reduction of the number of participants in funeral ceremonies, whose limit is increased to 10 (ten) people. In cases where the cause of death is the disease caused by Covid-19, the limit has also been changed to 5 (five) people.
As a final note, it should be noted that this new Presidential Decree also provides for a set of measures previously provided for in DP 256/20 (now revoked), whose rules remain unchanged, namely those relating to the resumption of scheduled flights, both domestic and international; quarantine, isolation and testing regimes; collective transport of people and goods and motor-taxi activities; and extraordinary validity of documents and other provisions on the processing of infractions.
The measures listed, including those that remain unchanged, came into force at midnight on 24 October 2020 and are in force until 23 November 2020.