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DThe anticipation was premature. Millions of Madrid and Barcelona residents can only dream of a cafeteria or a cold beer on the terrace of a bar. The important relaxation plan announced by the Spanish government a week ago boosted confidence after almost two months of strict exit restrictions. But for almost half of the 47 million Spaniards and in 22 of the 50 provinces, everything remains the same at the moment: neither of the country’s two largest cities has met the additional aid requirements, although they are minimal compared to Germany. and Austria.
In addition to Madrid and Barcelona, parts of the provinces of Valencia, Granada and Malaga also have to wait until they can move from preparatory “phase 0” to the first phase, allowing you to stop at the terraces of bars and restaurants. , but only in half of the tables. Up to ten people can meet outdoors or at home. Hotels, museums and churches can also reopen, although with great restrictions.
Madrid unsuccessfully requested flexibility
The Catalan regional government had not submitted any request to the National Ministry of Health. According to the authorities, the coronavirus is not yet sufficiently controlled in Barcelona and in the neighboring province of Girona. However, the Madrid regional government has unsuccessfully requested an update. The liberal Ciudadanos Party, a minor partner of the conservative PP in the regional government coalition, considered this step to be essential to save the economy from collapse. The Director-General for Regional Health Care then resigned in protest: The request was not based on medical criteria that should take priority over political and economic issues, he argued. Protective equipment and personnel are still lacking to trace those infected in the region. Doctors and nurses criticize that the regional government has not renewed many contracts for urgently needed nurses.
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The national health ministry evaluated the situation in a similar way and keeps Madrid waiting. To gain more freedom, sufficient intensive care beds must be mobilized and the number of infections reduced. In metropolitan areas, the coronavirus is slowly under control. The Madrid region remains the national focal point with 69,000 infections and more than 8,600 deaths (with the deceased in nursing homes, there would even be more than 15,000). It is followed by Catalonia and Castilla y León, all with more than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the last two weeks. “The most important thing now is to consolidate what we achieved in the first stage: keeping the epidemic under control,” said Health Minister Salvador Illa.
Too much crowd on the sidewalks.
Cities like Madrid already face great challenges with the first relaxation of phase 0. Adults can walk three hours and exercise every morning and night. However, the narrow sidewalks were not up to par: To reduce the risk of infection, the city administration temporarily turned more than two dozen streets into pedestrian zones over the weekend. On the other hand, hoteliers in the Balearic Islands, which, like the Canary Islands, can go through to the first phase, are not satisfied with the fact that they are allowed to reopen their homes from Monday. Most remain closed. In late June, Spaniards are not even allowed to leave their home provinces and travel to their own country.
However, German tour operators have been offering vacation packages in the Balearic Islands since mid-June. The Lufthansa Group’s announcement of regular flights to Palma de Mallorca from June 1 caused irritation in Spain. The government plans to issue new regulations in the coming days. The possibility of a domestic quarantine is also being examined for passengers arriving from abroad, as is the case in Germany, for example.
