Date Published: 18/12/2020
ARCHIVED - Catalunya tightens travel and socialization restrictions over Christmas
ARCHIVED ARTICLE
Alarm over the increasing coronavirus incidence rates confines Catalan to their local areas
The regional government of Catalunya has become the latest in Spain to announce a toughening of the limits on travel and social gatherings over the Christmas and New Year holidays, introducing further restrictions as the latest data underline a need to take action in order to halt what appear to be the beginnings of a third wave of coronavirus infection.
During the week the level of concern in Catalunya has risen significantly, and on Wednesday Josep Maria Argimon, the secretary of the Public Health service, warned that the situation was worsening rapidly. He highlighted that there had been 11,800 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the region between 6th and 15th December and that the propagation rate of the virus was rising, the latest Rt figure quoted being 1.41 – in other words, 100 infected people are likely to spread contagion to 141 more.
In the light of the latest data, it has been announced on Friday that various aspects of the planned de-escalation of anti-pandemic measures in Catalunya are to be reversed. Of especial importance over the holiday period is a new rule that bars and restaurants may open to the public only from 7.30 to 9.30 for breakfast and from 13.00 to 15.30 for lunch: outside these times only those establishments offering takeaway or home delivery services will be allowed to remain operative.
As for social gatherings, the newly announced rules include a limit of 6 people, the only exceptions being when the maximum is flexed to 10 on 24th to 26th and 31st December and 1st and 6th January.
On these “special days” those meeting must belong to no more than two “bubbles”.
But perhaps the most drastic tightening of the rules regards travel. Within Catalunya, movement is restricted to within the “comarcas” (local government areas) except in certain cases, for example where members of one household or bubble travel to a second home or to previously booked hotel accommodation. The comarcas of Alt Urgell and Andorra are to be treated as one in order to facilitate travel to and from Andorra.The government specifically used the words "un destino fijo" meaning that travel is not permitted for example, to go shopping outside of the comarca for one day, but is permitted if the whole household is travelling to a holiday home for a period of time.This measure remains in place until 11th January.
Residents are permitted to leave the region to visit family or "allegados" during the festive season, but the external border closure remains in place for non-essential travel other than for family visits.
Meanwhile, shopping malls, which reopened only this Monday, are to remain open with the exceptions of bars, restaurants and gymnasia.
The night-time curfew remains in force starting at 22.00 except on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve (1.00 in the morning) and 5th January (23.00).
All of the measures announced come into force on Monday 21st December and will remain in place in theory until 11th January, although a further review of the situation is scheduled for 28th December.
Click here for outline restrictions for all of the Spanish Regions during the festive season