ARCHIVED - Spanish government imposes enforced closure on non-essential businesses

The Spanish workforce has been shut down for two weeks except those involved in essential services or working from home

The construction sector closes down as workers take a forced paid holiday

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After a week of resisting calls for an even tighter coronavirus lockdown the Spanish government decided this weekend that more drastic measures were required in order to combat the spread of Covid-19, with the number of cases confirmed in this country having risen to 80,000 and the death toll reaching almost 7,000, and passed emergency legislation to halt all production and work activity except that related to “essential” services.

What this means is that the entire workforce, except those involved in certain services and those working from home, is being forced to take paid holiday for the next two weeks (the second of which is foreshortened due to the Easter holidays). Essentially the absence from the workplace is to be treated as time off in lieu, and the time taken is to be worked back gradually over the rest of the year by working extra days or hours. Businesses however, are obliged to pay the wages of their workers in the interim period.

Naturally, there has been a significant adverse reaction from the unions and those representing business owners who say that business is being forced to pay the cost of the coronavirus crisis.

To put it another way, the idea, according to María Jesús Montero, the Minister for Hacienda, is for the productive systems of Spain to go into hibernation for a fortnight, a move which creates great uncertainty over the future of numerous businesses throughout the country. At the same time, the Minister rejected suggestions that this decision has been made as a reaction to the figures regarding the spread of the virus being worse than had been anticipated.

Essential services

The “essential” services and activities identified by the government as being exempt from the shutdown are the following:

1. Those which form part of the supply and distribution of food and other essential products (drinks, animal food, hygiene products, medication, health products and any other goods necessary for healthcare).
2. Food prepared for home delivery.
3. The production and distribution of health products and services, health technology, medical equipment and materials, protective equipment, healthcare and hospital equipment and other healthcare products. This includes opticians, orthopaedics, etc.
4. Essential activity for the maintenance of production activity in manufacturing industries: supplies, equipment and materials needed for the adequate functioning of the essential activities listed.
5. Transport services (for both passengers and goods) (including fuel supply) which are being maintained during the state of emergency.
6. Services for prisons, civil protection, maritime rescue, fore prevention and firefighting, mining security, traffic control and road safety. Private security firms working on transport security and in other areas and security services for goods being supplied to the population.
7. The maintenance of materials and equipment for the armed forces.
8. Health centres, services and establishments, carers for the elderly, the young, the disabled and other dependents, those working in R&D centres and other bio-technological centres related to Covid-19.
9. Animal health centres and services.
10. Media sales outlets, the media and news agencies (both publicly and privately owned), as well as those involved in the printing and distribution of the media. And tobacconists.
11. Financial services companies, including banks, insurance and investment firms, for essential services.
12. Telecommunications and audiovisual companies and essential IT services, as well as networks and support facilities and the sectors which are necessary to support them.
13. Services related to the protection and support of gender violence victims.
14. Lawyers and other professionals in the sector, translators, interpreters and psychologists working on procedures which have not been suspended.
15. Services in administrative offices including legal and financial advisers, the prevention of risks in the workplace and others for matters of urgency.
16. Notaries, registry offices and similar services.
17. Cleaning, repairs and maintenance services, security services, waste collection and treatment services, waste water treatment, decontamination activities and others related to the sector.
18. Refugee and immigrant detention centres.
19. Water supply, treatment, distribution and sanitization.
20. Meteorological services including forecasting and observation and the maintenance and security of such activities.
21. Postal services including collection, delivery, transport, classification and distribution.
22. Sectors involved in the import and supply of health material along with companies involved in logistics, transport, storage and customs procedures.
23. The distribution and delivery of products purchased online, by telephone or by mail.
24. Electricity generation and supply.
25. Ports and airports.

Dry cleaners, motor mechanics and others are also exempt, although they may operate only by prior appointment and behind closed doors: a car can be repaired, but the owner is required to deliver it and then leave the mechanics to do their work before collecting it later.

Notable absences from this list include the construction sector, which accounts for around 10 per cent of Spain’s GDP, but the decision has been made to accept the inevitable negative economic effects of such a shutdown in an effort to make the next two weeks decisive in the battle to halt the spread of Covid-19.

For most businesses the eight working days affected by the shutdown are the whole of this week (30^th and 31^st March and 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd April) and the first three days of next week (6^th, 7^th and 8^th April). Good Friday on 10^th April is a national holiday and the previous day is a holiday in most regions (although the Holy Week processions have been cancelled throughout Spain), and the hope is that by the time Easter weekend has passed the enormous pressure under which hospitals throughout the country are being place will have begun to ease.

Image: Pedro Sánchez, the President of the government, announcing the legislation on Sunday

Remember: LOCKDOWN MEANS LOCKDOWN. STAY AT HOME. STAY SAFE AND DO YOUR BIT TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS.

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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) if they suspect that they may have contracted the virus rather than going straight to hospital or to a medical centre.

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!