HEALTHPLAN MAGAZINE

Spain has set out a four-phase plan to lift the Coronavirus lockdown (that has lasted just over seven weeks) so that the country can return to normality by the end of June.

The lockdown lift will vary from province to province, and moving through the stages will depend on several factors. Those factors are seeing how the rate of infection develops, the number of intensive care beds that are available locally, and the conformity to the social distancing rules.

As of today, Spain will be entering Phase 1.

Below we outline each of the phases and how it may affect daily life here in Spain.

Preparatory Phase 0: May 4 - 11

• Restaurants can offer takeaway services
• Hairdressers and other businesses that offer services via appointment can re-open
• Short walks and individual sporting activities are allowed
• Professional sports leagues can go back to training.

Phase 1: About two weeks from May 11

• All provinces that have met the requirements will move on to Phase 1 (May 11), with the exception of three of the Canary Islands, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa and the Balearic Island of Formentera, where Phase 1 began on May 4.
• People will be allowed to visit loved ones.
• Bars and restaurants can re-open their terraces with no more than 50% occupation.
• Small businesses can re-open under strict safety conditions.
• Shops and other service providers must set aside designated times for customers over 65 years of age to visit.
• Hotels and other tourist accommodation, excluding common areas, can re-open.
• Places of worship will also be reopened, but only to one-third of their capacity.
• People will be allowed to attend funerals.
• Funeral wakes will be allowed, but the number of relatives will be limited to 15 in open-air spaces, and 10 in closed areas.
• Existing timetables will remain in place until each region adjusts them to suit their needs. Therefore walks and other exercises such as running and cycling, must take place between 6 am and 10 am, or between 8 pm and 11 pm. Outings with children must take place between 12 noon and 7 pm. People who need to go out with a carer and seniors over 70 years of age have been allocated the time slots of between 10 am and 12 noon and 7 pm to 8 pm.
• Meetings of up to 10 people both inside private homes and outside are allowed.

Phase 2: About two weeks from late May

• Places of worship can increase attendance to 50% of their capacity
• Theatres, art galleries, cinemas and museums can re-open but at no more than a third of their capacity.
• Hunting and sport-fishing will be allowed.
• Some schools will be allowed to re-open, although most of them will stay closed until September.

Phase 3: Around the end of June

• Initial restrictions on restaurants and bars will be loosened further.
• Beaches will open.

Use of Vehicles

Restrictions on the use of vehicles by people living together have been criticised by the public.
So in a new order, which came into force at midnight last night (Sunday, May 10) those who live in the same household will now be able to travel in the same car, occupying all of the seats and without having to wear a mask.

This will apply to the entire country.

In the case of those who are not living in the same household, two people are allowed to travel in each row of seats, “providing that they use a mask and respect the maximum distance possible between occupants.”

This change also applies to public transport vehicles that have up to nine seats. This means that, for example, a mother will now be able to sit in the same row of seats in a taxi with her two children rather than sitting separated in different rows.

Motorcyclists will also now be able to share a vehicle without the use of a mask, but only if they live together.