The Portuguese Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI) announced this Wednesday that flights between Mozambique and Portugal will remain suspended until next year, precisely on January 9. And, in case of receiving passengers coming from Mozambique, they are required to remain isolated for 14 days.

This requirement also applies to citizens "who have left six other southern African countries" and wish to enter Portugal by other means, namely land and sea. Among the Southern African nations listed are South Africa, Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

These measures went into effect at midnight tonight as mainland Portugal entered a state of calamity - until March 20 - due to the increased number of covid-19 cases.

On the other hand, the communiqué states that air connections between Portugal and European Union (EU) member states and countries associated with the Schengen area, Brazil, the USA, the UK, and administrative countries and regions continue, as they were within the epidemiological situation recommended by the EU.

From the remaining countries, non-essential travel (for any non-emergency reason) is also allowed for vaccinated or recovered passengers.

There are repatriation flights: Lisbon-Maputo-Lisbon

Despite the measures that came into force today in Portugal, two TAP flights had already been announced to support the return of its citizens, as well as other European citizens who meet some requirements and Mozambicans in Portugal.

The first flight will leave Lisbon on Friday, December 3rd, arriving in Maputo on Saturday, from where it will connect to Lisbon on the same day.

The second connection leaves Lisbon on December 05, Sunday, landing in Maputo on Monday, flying that same day to Lisbon.

"Subsequently, additional flights of this nature will be arranged as needed," according to the Portuguese embassy.

The flights serve to support a two-way return after EU member states decided to temporarily suspend air links with seven southern African countries, including Mozambique, due to the identification of the Ómicron variant of the covid-19 virus in South Africa.