Spain’s prime minister announces coronavirus deescalation measures

[ivar]

Spain’s prime minister announces coronavirus deescalation measures

The transition to a “new normality” will last six to eight weeks, explains Pedro Sánchez, with continuing restrictions on travel to other provinces and Spanish islands

english.elpais.com

In short, there will be 4 phases... no definite date for each phase. At least 2weeks between each phase, but it might be more..

Phase 0, he said, “is the phase for the preparation of the deescalation, and that is the phase in which we are now.” This phase would involve the reopening of businesses such as restaurants that can offer food to take away. Individual classes will also be allowed in gyms. Individual training for federated sports players and professional leagues will also be allowed.

Phase 1, the prime minister continued, would “allow in each defined territory the partial reopening of small businesses under strict safety measures, apart from in large shopping malls, where big crowds could form.” He added that this also included the opening of hotels and tourist apartments, not including common areas. Mobility within a province will also be permitted under Phase 1.

Phase 2, meanwhile, will see hostelry establishments able to open their dining areas. As for schools, they will not fully reopen until September, but Sánchez explained that they would offer a guarantee that children aged under six can attend classes if their parents have to go to work, and so that students can complete their university application processes and exams.

“Cultural events will be possible with fewer than 50 people in interior spaces, and for open-air events, there will have to be 400 people or fewer, and they will have to be seated,” Sánchez explained.

Cinemas and theaters will also reopen under Phase 2, with a third of their capacity allowed to enter and assigned seating.

Phase 3 will be “the advanced phase,” he continued, “once the required markers have been met,” with cinemas and theaters allowing 50% of their capacity to enter, for example. “General mobility will be relaxed,” he added, and it will still be recommendable to wear masks on public transport.

Under Phase 3, the capacity of stores will be limited to 50%, with an inter-personal distance of two meters. Restrictions will be further relaxed for bars and restaurants.

Each phase will last at least two weeks, he said, which is the incubation period of the coronavirus, and in the best-case scenario, the process will last eight weeks in all of Spain.

“By the end of June, as a country we will be in the new normality if the evolution of the epidemic is under control in all territories,” he said. “This weekend individual physical activity [for adults] will be allowed, as will walks. On May 4, all territories will enter Phase 0, and given the low number of infections and if the progress allows for it, Formentera, the Balearics, Gomera, El Hierro and Graciosa in the Canary Islands will enter Phase 1 shortly after.

“On May 11, all of the provinces that meet the requisites will enter Phase 1, and the Health Ministry will evaluate the markers on a two-weekly basis.

 

[SusanH]

Wow! That’s wonderful! I hope that it will be successful for everyone. I wonder... when can we all start walking again?!!!

 

[LTfit]

I watched his speak and became quite dizzy with his explanation of all the different phases!

This means two more months of uncertainty because if one region has poor figures their progression to the next phase will be delayed. Also there will be no movement to another region if the numbers in your region are worse than where you want to go.

It's a step but sounds quite cumbersome for shopkeepers and businesses. And how can you have a hotel open but no common area (reception)? And pensions and other tourist accommodations sometimes have shared bathrooms. I can't even imagine what rules await albergues along the Camino.

Time will tell.

 

[Abigail Kelly]

It's a glimmer.... a light ..... that will do me this evening and help lift some of my spirit as was meant to leave for my Camino tonight.

 

[cathietherese]

Definitely a glimmer of hope to me. Thank you for sharing. Aotearoa/New Zealand has also implemented Stages for managing the spread of Covid 19 and it has worked wel so farl for us. We have just moved into Stage 3, after four weeks of lockdown. The understandable confusion when stages are first implemented eases if people can go to official sites and t hen circulate specific information which is what you have just done on the forum. Ultreia!

 

[kirkie]

It's a glimmer.... a light ..... that will do me this evening and help lift some of my spirit as was meant to leave for my Camino tonight.

For you:

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola Ivar, Whilst I can understand how a severe lockdown does affect the small businesses in a city or tow,I believe that the PM might be wiser to add a couple of extra weeks to the waiting time. My reasoning is based on the fact that its easier to speed up reducing the isolation measures but its almost twice a hard to reintroduce the lock down measures particularly if its desirable to go back to full lockdown.

 

[FooteK]

It will not do the economy any good if there is a resurgence of the virus and we all have to go back to square one. I'd rather be cautious now than have to start all over in a few weeks/months. This is rough, but we are (almost) all handling it with grace and common sense.
BTW, Don't drink bleach.

 

[Lizremedy]

I find it all a bit confusing. In which stage (date undefined) does all of walking, staying in albergues, eating in cafes, visiting churches become allowed? And is there sny mention of international travel in any stage or is that post everything? Still waiting for Iberia and British Airways to cancel my june flights.

 

[trecile]

I find it all a bit confusing. In which stage (date undefined) does all of walking, staying in albergues, eating in cafes, visiting churches become allowed?

Probably phase 13

 

[LTfit]

I find it all a bit confusing. In which stage (date undefined) does all of walking, staying in albergues, eating in cafes, visiting churches become allowed? And is there sny mention of international travel in any stage or is that post everything? Still waiting for Iberia and British Airways to cancel my june flights.

It is confusing because there are no dates. Everything depends on the current situation in each province (see below) and how the situation progresses in the future. The 6-8 weeks of deescalation may be extended.

As of yesterday https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/2...us-comunidades-desescalamiento-situacion.html
Andalucía, Asturias, Baleares, Canarias, Ceuta, Mejilla, Valencia and Murcia have <30 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and will be able to start phase 1 first. Castilla y León, Madrid Catalunya and Castilla La Mancha have between 168-178 cases per 100,000. We are therefore at the bottom of the list with the greatest number of cases.

Keep in mind, if during one of the 2 week periods cases increase, there will be a delay. The 6-8 week period is a best case scenario. Not to be negative but this is unknown territory for all of us, the government included. Dates are unspecified for a reason.

Although on all our minds, (especially for those of us living on the Camino), the Camino will for all the obvious reasons not be up and running for foreigners for months and months.

 

[futurefjp]

My ideal Camino is to socially isolate and I don't aspire to be in the company of others on the Way at all. The one person I met recently on route along the del Sureste was too much for me...

Isn't it possible to be on pilgrimage in a different manner to those and by those who must mix in the Albergues ... My only concern is getting Comida. Not sure whether it's going to be possible soon in a country like Spain which revolves around food in the way it does?

 

[futurefjp]

It is confusing because there are no dates. Everything depends on the current situation in each province (see below) and how the situation progresses in the future. The 6-8 weeks of deescalation may be extended.

As of yesterday https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/2...us-comunidades-desescalamiento-situacion.html
Andalucía, Asturias, Baleares, Canarias, Ceuta, Mejilla, Valencia and Murcia have <30 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and will be able to start phase 1 first. Castilla y León, Madrid Catalunya and Castilla La Mancha have between 168-178 cases per 100,000. We are therefore at the bottom of the list with the greatest number of cases.

Keep in mind, if during one of the 2 week periods cases increase, there will be a delay. The 6-8 week period is a best case scenario. Not to be negative but this is unknown territory for all of us, the government included. Dates are unspecified for a reason.

Although on all our minds, (especially for those of us living on the Camino), the Camino will for all the obvious reasons not be up and running for foreigners for months and months.

Oh dear. I feel fortunate to have walked the Jakobsweg over Lent, and getting back to the UK in one piece just prior to BJ locked us down on the 23rd March.

 

[LTfit]

My ideal Camino is to socially isolate and I don't aspire to be in the company of others on the Way at all. The one person I met recently on route along the del Sureste was too much for me...

Isn't it possible to be on pilgrimage in a different manner those who must mix in the Albergues ... My only concern is getting Comida. Not sure whether it's going to be possible soon in a country like Spain which revolves around food in the way it does?

There is a very simple answer: the borders are closed to everyone. No one is allowed in and no one may leave.

 

[futurefjp]

There is a very simple answer: the borders are closed to everyone. No one is allowed in and no one may leave.

Once the land borders open then?

 

[LTfit]

Once the land borders open then?

No time soon especially those from the US and UK where cases are on the increase (IMHO).

 

[Kathar1na]

I find it all a bit confusing. In which stage (date undefined) does all of walking, staying in albergues, eating in cafes, visiting churches become allowed? And is there any mention of international travel in any stage or is that post everything? Still waiting for Iberia and British Airways to cancel my june flights.

Nobody at political level is even discussing publicly any dates when this will be allowed again, whether in Spain or in other European countries. Hotels and restaurants are keen to be open for tourist business but the general view is that it will be mainly open for domestic guests at first. Here's a quote about the situation for the EU in general, as ministers from the 27 EU countries had a meeting about this yesterday:

First, the individual [EU countries] would have to lift domestic travel restrictions, making travel to neighbouring regions possible. Then, travel between neighbouring [EU] countries would have to become possible, and lastly, intra-European air traffic. No one knows when tourist travel [from and] to Asia, the US and other parts of the world will be possible again.​

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Given the severe situation everywhere, all this is just not a priority right now, not even without dates.

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Source: When and how: Post-coronavirus travel in the EU is up in the air

 

[ivar]

I posted this just to inform of what has been decided in Spain. There is still a lot we do not know. But now, we know a tiny bit more than yesterday... this is good.

Will close this thread since speculating more leads to no good. Click the link to the news article at the top for more info.

Stay safe everyone!
Ivar