PM passes lockdown hot potato on to regional governments

In his first public statement after August recess, Pedro Sánchez admitted the current situation of Covid-19 in Spain is 'very worrying' and offered military help to trace contacts

PM Pedro Sánchez this week passed the hot potato of calling a new state of emergency – which could include lockdown measures – to each regional government.

In recent days, regional governments had hit out at central government for not bringing in new measures and restrictions to prevent the increase in cases nationwide.

On Tuesday, following a Cabinet meeting, Sr Sánchez said each region can request a state of emergency within their own territory.

The Partido Popular (PP) party had called for a nationwide set of rules to stop the virus spreading, but the PM insisted the current legislation allowing each regional government to issue its own rules was ‘sufficient’.

During the March and April peak of the pandemic in Spain, several regional governments – especially Madrid and Cataluña – accused central government of abusing its power and not allowing each region to set its own rules.

The U-turn in their demands during what is now being considered a ‘second wave’ was highlighted by the government, which offered its full collaboration to reach a consensus over rules to be applied in every region.

The PM has offered ‘co-ruling’ measures between central and regional governments to bring the coronavirus figures down. So far, no one has picked-up the gauntlet to request a regional state of emergency – although several have openly stated they do not plan to do so.

If any region did, the legal requirements according to Spanish legislation would be for the presidents of said regions to go to parliament in Madrid to ‘convince’ MPs of the need to apply such action in their regions – a step (going to Madrid to request help) that some regional leaders would find very difficult to carry out.

Military trackers

To further assist regional health departments, the PM announced that the ministry of defence has 2,000 trackers (staff in charge of contacting people who have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19) at hand for any regional government that needs their assistance.

So far, Valencia and Murcia regions have requested the military assistance. The Valencian government has requested 150 trackers.

Regarding the number of daily tests, the PM said it has increased considerably and that 80,000 were carried out on Friday alone throughout Spain.

Early detection has been underlined as the key to ensure patients are treated before they develop serious symptoms.

Back to school chaos

Another nationwide debate concerns the back-to-school rules to be applied next month when schools are scheduled to reopen. The PM insisted on Tuesday that school attendance ‘should return to normal’, but each region has its own education department that decide which criteria to apply within its area.

The ministry of education has offered its assistance in setting these rules but insists each region has the right and the responsibility to set them.

While some regions are planning a full return to classrooms by all pupils, applying social distancing, rotation of playground times and other specific measures, other regions are calling for a rotation among pupils for some to have classes at school while others join in via video conferences.

Madrid regional government says it will employ 11,000 new teachers to ensure all pupils can to go back to class from September 4 in smaller groups.

Covid-19 tests will be made available for all staff and face masks will have to be worn by all pupils over the age of six.

Cantabria has proposed children age three to six also wear masks in class.

According to ministry of education and health directives, schools will only close if contagion rates become 'out of control'. Individual cases and those within one class will be treated with isolation and without affected other pupils.

Secondary school students unions have announced a strike from September 16 to 18 against the obligation to go to class and are demanding more anti-Covid measures.

Figures rise and travel to Spain shunned

The latest figures released by the ministry of health at the time of going to press were of 419,849 people infected in Spain since the beginning of the pandemic and 28,971 deaths. Meanwhile, Holland has now extended its recommendation not to travel to Spain to include all regions and the Canary and Balearic Islands. Holiday trips cannot be considered ‘essential travel’, points out the Dutch government, which has placed Spain is its orange alert category for coronavirus.