Regions tighten measures to fight Covid-19 flare-ups
Official tribute was held yesterday for the over 28,000 who have died throughout the country
KING Felipe VI and Queen Letizia - along with their daughters Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia - yesterday (Thursday) presided over an official tribute to the victims of the coronavirus pandemic in Spain.
Attending the ceremony held at in the royal palace court in the morning were PM Pedro Sánchez, his Cabinet, EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen, EU council president Charles Michel, EU parliament president David Sassoli and EU high representative for foreign affairs Josep Borell.
Alongside them were WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; NATO general secretary Jens Stoltenberg and secretary general of the World Tourism Organisation Zurab Pololikashvili.
Also in attendance were the presidents of all 17 Spanish regions - a rare exception as Catalan and Basque regional presi- dents generally decline all invitation from Madrid.
Representatives of all political parties in Parliament were also present except those of farright wing Vox.
Finally, all former living PMs attended the ceremony with the exception of Felipe González for personal reasons.
Before the King's speech, a nurse and the brother of one of the victims said a few words in remembrance and thanked those who have been in 'the front line'.
The ceremony was also a tribute to those who have played a vital role in tackling the health crisis.
King Felipe highlighted the behaviour of all Spaniards in fighting the virus saying the country 'has shown its best spirit'.
Addressing representatives of essential services sectors (medical staff, teachers, cleaning staff, police, etc.) the King told them: "We owe you more than we can imagine, these people have sustained our country and we feel huge gratitude towards them."
Face masks and flare-ups
Eleven of the 17 Spanish regions have approved tighter rules on the use of face masks in an attempt to fight the over 120 flare-ups reported around the country.
Cataluña, Balearics, Extremadura, Galicia, Murcia, Andalucía, La Rioja, Aragón, Asturias, Cantabria and Navarra have all approved the compulsory use of face masks in public areas and regardless of whether social distancing (1.5metres) can be observed.
The Basque regional government has only made face mask use obligatory in Ordizia, where a flare-up was detected last week.
Rules and exceptions vary in each region.
In Andalucía bathers will even have to wear masks when on the beach or at swimming pools unless they are swimming, eating or beneath a parasol with a 1.5-metre distance to the next person.
However, it will not be obligatory when practising sport.
In Asturias, wearing a mask is compulsory within town streets and in rural areas in the event of 'crowding'.
In the Balearics, beaches and swimming pools are exempt from the more strict mask rules.
The regions where face masks are not obligatory when social distancing can be observed are the Canary Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Madrid, Valencia and the rest of the Basque Country, plus the cities of Ceuta and Melilla.
In all areas, the nationwide rules apply (masks to be worn in public indoor areas and outdoors if social distancing is not possible) and a €100 fine can be expected by those disobeying the regulation.