All discotheques and nightclubs in Spain must close down, bars and restaurants must close at 1am and smoking in public spaces is severely restricted.
These are some of the 11 measures and recommendations unanimously agreed by all autonomous regions and central government today in a bid to stop a second wave of Covid-19 contagions.
These measures concentrate on the control of transmission in ambits which are currently the origin of the most serious epidemic clusters and of highest risk as detected through the National Network of Epidemiological Vigilance.
Because nightlife has been identified as responsible for the majority of the current clusters in various autonomous regions, discos, dance halls and late night bars may not have live music and must close by 1am, admitting the last customers at midnight.
All bars, restaurants, terraces and beach terraces must guarantee personal distancing of a minimum of 1.5 metres for bar service and between tables, with a maximum of 10 people per table.
A major increase in clusters of the virus in Social Sanitary Centres (residential centres of OAPs etc) has been detected over the last few weeks and so measures will be taken to protect these vulnerable residents.
New admissions must have a PCR test 72 hours maximum before being admitted. Employees returning from holidays and new staff must be tested.
Visits will be limited to one person per resident under strict precautionary measures and for one hour only. These visits must be staggered during the day. The ability of residents to go out will be limited.
Where there are new epidemic clusters there will be large scale testing of the populations at risk.
The consumption of alcohol, without authority, in public spaces and highways will be prohibited and controls to prevent them will be reinforced and autonomous governments and Town Halls will apply sanctions.
Smokers may remove their masks to smoke in open public spaces only where social distancing of at least two metres can be guaranteed.
It is recommended that social groups, outside the people who live together, should be limited and moreover no more than 10 people should meet together socially.
Periodical PCR testing of all health and social sanitary staff who have direct contact with residents or patients is recommended.
Following the meeting with the Presidents of the autonomous regions the Minister of Health, Salvador Illa, emphasized the importance of complying with these measures and for people to be disciplined.
He said: We cannot ignore that the virus is circulating amongst us and we must be very rigorous until such a time as we have a vaccine.”
Editors Note:
Many posts and newspapers are reporting a total ban on smoking in public places and terraces in Spain. Various autonomous, but not Murcia, have instituted this ban. The new social distancing for smokers in public places makes it virtually impossible for anyone to smoke in a public area as minimum distances must be observed at all times. So this includes other customers and staff on a terrace bar, passersby on the street for example. Readers may draw their own conclusions.
