The President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi, announced this Thursday an easing of restrictions to prevent covid-19 that includes the reduction of curfew hours, reopening of places of worship and pre-school education, among other measures.
"The relief measures still impose a conditioned operation of various sectors," said the head of state, but who justified the measures during an address to the nation with the "aim of achieving a balance between social, economic life and public health."
Nyusi said that "the ideal was to maintain" all the restrictions that have been in place under the state of public calamity, but the relief also comes "as a way to recognize the collective effort" and help the economy to "gradually recover."
As of Saturday and for 30 days, the night curfew in force in Maputo, provincial capitals and municipal towns will start one hour later, at 23:00, ending at 04:00.
Places of worship can reopen, but still with capacity limits, as can theaters, cinemas, gambling halls, cultural centers, auditoriums and the like, which must not exceed 30% in capacity.
Private social events are allowed, with a maximum of 30 people indoors and 50 in open spaces, and the criteria for meetings and events are further relaxed, always with a limit of 100 people - more than this requires specific authorization.
In terms of education, Filipe Nyusi announced the reopening of pre-school education throughout the territory, after having already announced at the end of August the return to face-to-face teaching in the remaining levels of education.
Public swimming pools with a capacity of 20% are also allowed to open, and the limits on the operation of fitness centers will be relaxed.
Catering will be open again until 10:00 PM, food stalls until 6:00 PM, and the limit for the sale of alcoholic beverages will be 3:00 PM.
In sports, the national championships of all sports are again open to the public (maximum capacity of 25%) and the provincial high competition and training teams can start training again, with the use of rapid tests recommended
It is again possible to go to the beaches until 5:00 pm, as a "place of recreation for bathers", and it is forbidden to gather, play games, or sell or consume alcoholic beverages.
The number of visits to patients and prisoners is also extended.
According to Filipe Nyusi, 1.7 million people have already been vaccinated, that is, 10% of the population that the Government intends to cover.
The head of state said that despite the difficulties in making vaccines available, "efforts continue and are aimed at the vaccination, from October to December, of citizens aged 30 and over throughout the country, in an estimated population of seven million who will have to be vaccinated.
The country reached the peak of the third wave in July and since then has seen a consistent reduction in all epidemiological indicators.
Besides making repeated appeals for adherence to the vaccination program, Filipe Nyusi stressed the "need to consolidate gains" for indicators to continue to fall in time for the festive season of Christmas and New Year's Eve.
The President of the Republic also considered it "imperative to delay a fourth wave" that might be in prospect, because each wave has been more "criminal" than the previous one, in terms of the number of motes.
Lusa Agency