Spain COVID-19 update de-escalation of lockdown rules
The way forward, according to the Spanish Government, is not by setting dates and deciding exactly what will be allowed as of which date, but rather, a bi-weekly evaluation to see if certain regions or provinces, meet the established parameters to be allowed to proceed to a further stage, with less restrictive measures in place. In this Spain differs from the countries around us. These parameters will be made public as soon as possible.
4 Phases
Phase 0: Now, the one we are in now, and that will progress to a situation wherein we can do individual sports and take walks with those we live with, as of the 2nd of May. It’s the stage during which we prepare for the de-escalation of the State of Alarm.
Restaurants/bars will be allowed to offer take-away food, to be picked up on appointment only.
Some establishments will be allowed to open to the public, on appointment only.
Professional and federated athletes are allowed to practice sports, individually.
Phase 1 May 11: the initial stage of de-escalation. Will be de-centralised, the parameters can be met by one province, and not yet by another.
Small businesses allowed to open to the public, taking protective measures, of course. Large shopping centres not yet.
Terraces of restaurants and bars allowed to be open at 30%.
Hotels and other tourist lodging facilities are allowed to open at 30%, excluding the use of communal areas. Ministerial order to follow that will outline the requisites to meet.
A separate window for the most vulnerable, the 65+ to enjoy activities, go shopping etc.
Certain sports centres allowed to open, with more elaborate hygiene measures, and medium training sessions for professional athletes allowed to resume.
Places for worship allowed to open at 30%.
The agri-food and fishing sector will resume the activities that it maintained with restrictions.
The Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands Formentera, La Gomera, Hierro and La Graciosa will proceed to this stage on the 4th of May. The rest of Spain on the 11th of May, provided the individual regions and provinces meet the established parameters.
Phase 2 May 26: the intermediate stage
Restaurants and bars allowed to open premises (indoor) to the public, at 30% occupancy and only provide service at tables.
Re-opening for schools not until September, except to provide a service to minor children with both parents working outside their home, or to provide activities of support ‘refuerzo’ for students, and expect to open their doors to the students from Bachillerato 2 who have to do their ‘selectividad’ exams.
Cinemas and theatres allowed to open at 30%, art galleries, museums etc. allowed to open, but limited public allowed.
Cultural events allowed in venues with less than 50 spectators, or up to 400 if outside and a sitting-down event.
Phase 3 June 10: the final stage, more flexibility in movement.
The percentages mentioned above will rise to 50%.
Maintaining social distancing of 2 metres, maintaining the use of masks when using public transport etc. This will form part of our lives for the foreseeable future in the ‘new normality’.
After stage 3 we will proceed to the ‘new normality’ and only then will it be allowed to travel to another province than the one we live in. Example: if you have a 2nd home in the same province, you will be allowed to travel there before this stage has been reached, but if it is located in another, not.
Each stage will last for 2 weeks. The prime minister has expressed the expectancy that by the end of June 2020, the status of ‘new normality’ will have been reached in the whole of Spain.
Disclaimer: This summary is by no means exhaustive, but purely informative. We will produce a more precise one when the plan has been approved by the Diputados, put into law and published in the State Gazette. Not expected before Thursday the 30th of April.
