NOW SPAIN OPENS UP
BEACHES, BARS AND RESTAURANTS BACK IN BUSINESS AS PM ANNOUNCES TOURISTS WELCOME FROM JULY
BARS and restaurants began to reopen in mainland Spain yesterday – as prime minister Pedro Sanchez announced that foreign holidaymakers would be welcomed back from July.
Roughly half the population, including people living in Madrid and Barcelona, were enjoying the sunshine as the nation began lifting its strict lockdown measures
These included being allowed to hold small social gatherings and take part in some sporting activities.
In parts of Spain less badly affected by the virus – which has killed 28,773 nationwide – the easing of restrictions has gone even further, with no time limits on outdoor activities, visits to nursing homes allowed and beaches reopened.
But there are fears tourism from Britain could be dramatically affected by home secretary Priti Patel’s announcement that anyone arriving in the UK from abroad will face 14 days in quarantine. Benidorm’s mayor, Toni Perez, said: ‘The quarantine is causing a lot of uncertainty.
‘No one knows how long it could last and that is having an effect on lastminute holiday reservations and cancellations and that is something that is worrying us.’ Last week, France – where 28,367 people have died – announced a 14-day quarantine on all visitors from the UK in response to Ms Patel’s move. The new rule comes into effect from June 8.
The French government has said it will introduce reciprocal measures for any other European country bringing in quarantine measures. Meanwhile, a spat is brewing between Germany’s federal government and state governors over plans by some regional leaders to further ease restrictions despite fresh clusters of cases across the country.
The nation had seen a steady decline in the number of infections following ten weeks of lockdown. But as restrictions have slowly lifted there have been spikes linked to slaughterhouses, restaurants, religious services, nursing homes and refugee shelters.
The governor of Thuringia state, Bodo Ramelow, said on Saturday that he hopes to lift remaining nationwide lockdown rules on June 6 and tackle outbreaks locally.
The neighbouring state of Saxony said yesterday that it, too, is aiming for a ‘paradigm change’ on pandemic rules from June 6 if infections remain low.
Federal and state officials agreed earlier this month that restrictions would be reimposed if there are more than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in a city or county within a week.
Health minister Jens Spahn cautioned yesterday against giving the impression that the pandemic is over.
The country has reported more than 180,000 cases of coronavirus and nearly 8,300 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University in the US.