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- Medical professionals and those who live in retirement homes have experienced especially high infection rates
- 1st March – 85 cases
- 1st April – 104,118 cases
- Spain has announced a four-phase plan to lift its stringent coronavirus lockdown and return to a “new normality” by the end of June.
- A national lockdown was imposed on 14 March
- On 28 April, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said each region would relax restrictions at a different pace, depending on the severity of its outbreak
Why is this important for entire world?
- As other countries in Europe that have recorded a slowdown in infections contemplate exit strategies, their way out of the lockdown will have lessons for the rest of the world.
- Spain’s economy has been battered by the impact of the virus, and the Bank of Spain forecasts that unemployment could rise to 21.7% this year.
- Spain’s 4 Phase Exit strategy
Phase 0 – Preparation phase
- The preparatory phase began on Apr 26 when Spain permitted children to go out for an hour a day with one parent, within a 1km radius of home.
- Starting May 4 –
- Individuals will be able to go out for a walk or to exercise alone or with people they stay with.
- De-escalations in this phase include
- opening up of takeaway facilities at restaurants
- opening up of some other establishments such as hair salons.
- Government offices will be opened to those with prior appointments
- In this phase, professional athletes will be able to access individual training sessions.
- Children aged 14 years or younger have been allowed to go out for walks from April 26.
Phase 1 – Initial phase
- Starting from May 11 ; will last for two weeks.
- Small businesses (ex:- gyms) will be allowed to open under strict security measures.
- Small shops may open, but not big shopping areas and all commercial activity must include hours giving priority to the over-65s.
- Bars and restaurants will be able to reopen their terraces while restricting occupancy to a third of their normal capacity.
- Hotels and tourist accommodation will open while keeping communal areas shut and must respect capacity restrictions.
- Places of worship can open but with only a third of normal capacity.
- In this phase, some degree of social contact with a limited number of people may also be allowed, subject to what the conditions are then.
Phase 2 – Intermediate phase
- Begins on May 25.
- Will include the resumption of hunting and sport fishing
- Opening of cinemas and auditorium theatres at one-third of their capacity.
- Visits to monuments and cultural facilities, such as exhibition halls and conference rooms, will resume with one-third occupancy.
- Cultural shows will be allowed with less than 50 people in closed
- In the outdoors, shows and events can be held with less than 400 people provided they are seated.
- All places of worship will have to limit their capacity to 50%.
- Bars and restaurants will be able to receive customers for table service only, restricting occupancy to a third of normal capacity.
- Schools will open to children under six whose parents are unable to work from home.
Phase 3 – Advanced phase
- Begins on June 8 – The last step before Spain enters “the new normal”.
- If the situation is under control, general mobility will be made more flexible.
- Wearing masks will be recommended when people venture outside, especially on public transport.
- All shops to open.
- In all commercial settings, capacities will be restricted to 50% with customers observing social distancing norms.
- Beaches may also open in this phase.
- The movement of people into other provinces or islands is restricted until the de-escalation process is complete.
- In total, the de-escalation will take at least six weeks to be complete.
- Phase 0 – 1 Week
- Phase 1 – 2 weeks
- Phase 2 – 2 weeks
- Phase 3 – ? Week(s)