Spain imposes strict new measures on nightlife across the country

News Desk

4 years ago

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The Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa, has announced strict new measures on nightlife across the country, in ‘unanimous agreement’ with Spain’s regional authorities, in a further attempt to stop the spread of Coronavirus (Covid-19).

These are the key measures:

Music bars, nightclubs and discos will be closed across Spain.
All other bars and restaurants to close at 1am, with last customers allowed by midnight.
Following the measures already taken in Galicia and the Canary Islands, smoking will also be prohibited outside if 2 metre social distancing cannot be maintained.
There should be 10 people maximum at tables.
No ‘botellones’ (street drinking parties) allowed.

ALSO READ: Catalonia to impose fines of up to €15,000 for ‘botellones’ – street drinking parties

It is understood that each regional authority across Spain will be responsible for deciding when the measures commence (expected to be in the coming days), as well as implementing the control of them. The health minister said that the measures are ‘not optional, as we have all agreed’ and ‘we will all have to put them into practice’. He said there would be no need for judicial ratification of the measures.

Some regions of Spain had already applied some of the measures – for example, Catalonia had already closed nightclubs and imposed other nightlife curfews – and smoking outside has already been prohibited in Galicia and the Canary Islands.

At a press conference on Friday morning, Illa said, ‘I am announcing that, for the first time, we have decided to adopt co-ordinated actions in terms of public health and that these measures have been adopted unanimously [with regional health authorities].’

The measures were necessary, he said, because of ‘the growing number of outbreaks in recent weeks’.

Illa also said that ‘strict’ fines would be imposed on people holding drinking parties (botellones) on the streets. ‘Drinking in the street is prohibited,’ Illa said. ‘You are not allowed to drink in the street.’

The health minister also reiterated that citizens should limit social contact to groups of up to a maximum of 10 people, between close friends and those from the same household.

Visits to nursing homes

Other new measures include limiting visits to nursing homes to one person per resident for a maximum of one hour per day.

In addition to the limit of visitors, it will also be obligatory to perform PCR tests on all new arrivals as well as on employees returning from holiday.

After three months under a ‘state of alarm’ (since 14 March), Spain entered its ‘New Normality’ phase on Monday 22 June, following on from the government’s four phased plan to relax the country’s lockdown restrictions.

CLICK HERE for all details: Spain’s ‘New Normality’ – key points

Click here for all previous reports on: Coronavirus in Spain

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