The government updated, on 7 August, the measures enacted in the context of the public calamity situation, extending the sanitary fence of Luanda until 8 September, but extended the opening hours of commercial establishments and restaurants, and it is also allowed to carry out cultural and art fairs, as well as exhibitions, with mandatory use of a face mask and observance of physical distance.
The bishops also hoped to see the ban on public worship reconsidered, which remained in the province of Luanda, the epicenter of the disease in Angola, "which unfortunately did not happen", stressing that there is "disproportionality" in these measures.
The religious underline, in a statement, that since the beginning of the declaration of the pandemic, the Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé has prepared a protocol with the biosafety measures to be observed in liturgical celebrations and other activities ", which by far exceeds what we observe daily in markets, large commercial areas, public transport and other places ".
Therefore, they do not understand how the citizens who frequent these places and use public transport "are prevented from religious worship and, in some places, are overzealous in applying the measures" and are "deepening" contacts with the competent authorities. on this issue.
