The Ministry for Public Health has announced its intentions for this summer regarding restrictions, mainly concerning night bars and concerts, etc.

Health Minister, Carolina Darias, met with her regional counterparts with plans to impose fewer restrictions than summer 2020 but for a summer 2021 which will be far from ‘normal.’ The minister considers that normalcy will not return until the country reaches 70% immunity (both jabs) which won’t happen until mid August, according to Government previsions.

Minister Darias is not in favour of relaxing mask use nor proximity measures in public areas.

The new proposed level system divides municipalities into:

Level 1: up to  25 per 100,000 contagion cases in 14 days.
Level 2: up to  50 per 100,000 contagion cases in 14 days.
Level 3: up to 150 per 100,000 contagion cases in 14 days.
Level 4: over  150 per 100,000 contagion cases in 14 days.

The idea is that with a contagion rate of over  150 per 100k there should be no inside nightlife, whatsoever nor any kind of multitudinous event (concerts and sports event).

Seven autonomous regions may not be abiding by this decision above on night clubs & discos: Andalucía, Aragón, Comunidad de Madrid, Melilla, País Vasco and La Rioja. We will have to wait for the Junta to publish a BOJA on their intentions.

As long as a municipality does not surpass the 150 per 100k level, considers Minister Darias, then discotheques and night clubs can reopen.

Whatever the case, the Minister wants every region in Spain to agree to closing everything by 02.00h

The Minister proposes that bars & restaurants, etc, can use 100% of their open-air terraces, as long as there is 1.5m between chairs from different tables (which is not the same as 1.5m between tables, logically). The maximum number of people to a table will remain at ten persons in exteriors and six persons in interiors. The interiors of nightclubs and discos cannot surpass 50% of maximum occupation.

Furthermore, these establishments must keep a record of the identity of their customers so that they can be traced in the case of an outbreak. Records must be kept for a month.

On the other hand, the Minister of Health is not against gatherings of between 2,500 and 10,000 in open-air, multitudinous events as long as the municipality concerned has below 150 case per 100,000 and as long as masks are worn and that this number does not represent more than 50% of the maximum occupation capacity of the venue. Smoking is strictly forbidden at these events, including electronic cigarettes.

OK, so this all sounds like an instruction manual for a Chinese product translated through Arabic to English. But one thing is for sure, before the end of June there will be changes.

Good luck

(News: Andalucia)