ARCHIVED - Confinement and national emergency in Spain likely to last over 2 weeks

Closing the borders of Spain is considered by Cabinet to be a real possibility

As the number of cases of Covid-19 in Spain continues to rise along with the figures related to fatalities (9,191 and 309 respectively on Monday lunchtime), the national government is reported to be accepting that the state of emergency which was declared on Saturday will have to be extended beyond its initial 15-day duration.

This, at least, is the opinion voiced on Monday by José Luis Ábalos, the Minister for Transport, while his colleague Fernando Grande-Marlaska warned that the closure of Spain’s borders is a “real possibility”.

Sr Ábalos averred that the fortnight’s emergency which has been declared is not sufficient to give Spain the ability to prevail in the battle against the coronavirus, and added during a television interview that the government will find ways to prolong the situation and to keep citizens confined in their homes. Unless this is done, he says, the two weeks of confinement will have had no point when they come to an end (although Sr Grande-Marlaska maintains that no decision can be made until the first two weeks are about to end).

Just a short time after these comments were made it was announced that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is to propose an extension of the 15-day of the state of emergency to all political parties with a view to the move gaining support in the national Congress. Sr Sánchez will speak to representatives of all parties by video conference after consulting the Coronavirus Management Committee on Monday morning.

While presenting the latest data regarding the spread of the virus on Monday, Fernando Simón talked of the difficulties of long periods of confinement. The early stages, he said, are generally quite easy, and some people even enjoy the “novelty value”: but as time drags on the situation becomes harder and harder to bear – some place “breaking point” at 12 weeks – and for many the hardest part comes when the end is in sight.

It seems more than likely, then, that the coronavirus crisis in Spain will NOT be over in a fortnight. Already Easter Week processions have been cancelled all over the country in anticipation of this fact – as well as the Semana de Primavera celebrations in Murcia the following week – and in realistic terms it appears that the population may be confined in their homes at least until mid-April. It may be better to resign oneself to that, allowing just a small hope that in fact we could be allowed out earlier!

Image: Fernando Grande-Marlaska chairs the first meeting of the committee overseeing the inter-Ministerial response to the coronavirus crisis

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What to do if you are in the Region of Murcia and believe you may have contracted the virus

The regional government has set up a special helpline to supply information to members of the public (900 121212), and also urges people to call the 112 emergency services line if they suspect that they may have contracted the virus rather than going straight to hospital or to a medical centre. Medical staff will be sent to your home to test for the virus.

The Region’s public hospitals have limited the number of visitors to just one per patient.

Sensible precautions

The advice being issued to members of the public by medical authorities all over the world coincides on the following points:

- Wash hands frequently with either soap and water or a sanitiser gel

- Catch coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues – and throw the tissues away immediately after use before immediately washing your hands!

- If you don’t have a tissue, use your sleeve – and wash the item of clothing used at the next opportunity

- AVOID touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands

- AVOID close contact with people who are unwell

- Don´t panic!