Many areas of Spain will be moving to different stages of the government’s coronavirus deescalation plan. Here is the latest from the Official State Gazette and a summary of the relevant stages.
The areas of Spain moving to Phase 2 today are: The Canary and Balearic Islands, Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, La Rioja, Navarre, Aragón, Extremadura, Guadalajara, Cuenca, Murcia, all of Andalusia apart from Málaga and Granada, Terres de l’Ebre (Tarragona), Camp de Tarragona (Tarragona), Alt Pirineu-Aran (Lleida), and the Spanish exclave cities of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa.
Under this phase, the BOE sets out new conditions for the use of beaches. Towels, sun loungers and personal objects will have to be laid out in a way “that guarantees a security perimeter of two meters with regard to other users, apart from bathers who are cohabitating.”
Shared sun loungers will have to be cleaned and disinfected between uses. Open-air showers and foot-washes will be permitted for use, as will bathrooms, changing rooms and other similar public services. Only one person at a time will be able to use such facilities, unless that person requires assistance.
Also under Phase 2, local councils will be able to establish access limits and control the number of people on beaches in order to guarantee a two-meter distance can be observed, as well as establishing time limits both on the sand and in car parks. The order specifies that access to beaches must always be free of charge. To calculate the maximum capacity of a beach each bather is considered to occupy approximately four square meters.
The Health Ministry is also authorizing the regions to establish limits for the number of people allowed in bars, restaurants and terraces, albeit between 30% and 50% of their usual capacity.
Nature parks will be able to reopen under Phase 2 at 20% of their usual capacity, as well as cable cars, provided that passengers are limited to 50% of the allowed capacity, and there is at least one seat free between people or groups who do not live together.
The order also permits regional governments to set out the requirements for visits to residents in supervised housing, homes for the disabled and senior residences, as well as the rules for walks by residents. Previous BOEs had set out requirements for prior appointments for such visits, and prohibited visits to seniors, and did not mention walks.
Under Phase 2, regions will also be able to decide whether or not classes should restart in schools. Regional governments will be able to decide if schools should continue with distance and online teaching.
Until now, the reopening of schools and daycare was only being considered for two years of high school students and for children aged between zero and six years old whose parents cannot work from home. The regions had already warned the government, however, that they would prefer to reopen schools in September.
Also under Phase 2, driving classes can restart, albeit with masks being obligatory inside the vehicle, as well as cleaning and disinfection of the latter before and after each use.
