Slow relief from lockdown
Prime Minister outlines strategy to return civil liberties to the country
WHEN Parliament approved the continuation of the state of emergency in Spain last Thursday – until April 26 – the speech made by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in the house of deputies provided the clearest insight yet on how the country will move out of complete lockdown.
First of all, Sr Sánchez explained that the emergency powers which have been taken on by the state – restricting many civil liberties of the population – will have to remain in place for some time to come.
However, his government is developing a plan to slowly reduce the measures so that people can start to regain the freedoms we all took for granted before the Covid-19 health crisis started.
The timing of the implementation of this transition phase will depend on the success of measures to get the virus under control.
The move out of lockdown would be carried out in stages and with great caution.
However, no dates were provided by the PM during his speech.
A complete return to normal life would only be possible when an effective vaccine is available, he noted.
Costa Blanca News has decided to print extracts from his speech so readers can make their own interpretations on how and when the ‘next phase’ will be carried out.
Sr Sánchez stated: “The return will have to be gradual and we will need to adapt before returning to normality. And we still do not know with any precision what kind of normality that will be because it is possible that many aspects of our economy and society – and even our way of life – will have to be changed so that we can be stronger in order to face up to an emergency like this one.”
But the time for transition will come, he said, and ‘we have been working on this for some time’.
This ‘gradual return’ will be based on two objectives.
“The first is to continue to protect people who have no immunity to the virus while we wait for a vaccine,” he stated.
“Then we will have to organise the progressive return to rebuild the economy and society.”
A ‘multi-disciplinary team’ – made up of experts in infectious diseases and many other fields – is working on the transition.
Part of this phase will involve ‘actions to detect and treat people who are infected with the virus’. Technology with be harnessed to help with this.
“The transition will be carried out in stages and the speed that it is done will depend on progress in controlling the epidemic,” explained Sr Sánchez.
Markers have been set out by scientists and specialists who advise the government in order to ‘set out the rhythm of this transition to the new normality’.
“These markers are related to controlling the spread of the disease and the recovery of the health service,” he said.
“Each advance that we make on the scale will allow us to open new spaces and lift restrictions.”
Sr Sánchez added: “In the move towards this new normality the government will follow the guidelines set out by the WHO – which is to say that we will look for a balance between fighting the health crisis, the mitigation of its social and economic effects and preserving people’s human rights.”
Read about the EU roadmap to lifting restrictions on p20.