Date Published: 02/05/2020
ARCHIVED - From 11th May more than one occupant per vehicle will be permitted
ARCHIVED ARTICLE Masks must be worn on public transport
A welcome addition to the conditions established for the first phase of the de-escalation plan which is scheduled to begin on May 11th providing the evolution of Covid-19 cases in Spain continues to be positive, was announced on Saturday 2nd May; more than one person will be permitted to travel in private vehicles.
This will indeed be welcome news for all those non-driving residents who have been forced to depend on somebody else to shop on their behalf due to the current restrictions permitting only one person per private vehicle, and will allow couples to once more shop together.
Up to nine people may travel in the same vehicle providing they all live in the same house. The use of a mask is not mandatory, but advisable according to the government.
If the passengers of a “people carrier of up to 9 people” are not all resident in the same property, then only two seats per row may be occupied and each passenger must use a mask or other face protection.
In the case of discretionary public transport, such as minibuses or vans, the seats directly behind the driver must be left unoccupied.
Masks must be worn on public transport
Anyone using public transport must wear a mask to reduce the probability of infection. The governments of the 17 autonomous communities have been requested to establish measures designed to limit the possibility of contact between people using stations and transport interchanges and reduce crowding. They must also install signage to ensure that passengers respect two metres social distancing.
Shoppers can venture further afield for specific items
The government has also reiterated that residents can only move throughout the province in which they live throughout all phases of the de-escalation process.
Phase zero of the de-escalation plan begins on Monday 4th and the government recognises that as some retail shops will be opening for business via prior appointment and that some establishments will be offering take-away foods, this increases the probability that the public will want to travel to commercial establishments further from their homes than has been permitted up to now.
For this reason, journeys will be permitted within the same municipality providing the required item is available. If it is not possible to purchase a specific item in the municipality, then drivers will be permitted to drive to the capital of the province or the comarca (administrative area, ie north-west, Campo de Cartagena etc).
This is not an excuse to drive to Murcia city to shop in Mercadona if you live in Mazarrón, but is a mechanism by which specific items can be collected by prior appointment if something is not available locally.
Remember: LOCKDOWN MEANS LOCKDOWN. STAY AT HOME. STAY SAFE AND DO YOUR BIT TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS.
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