The Ministry of Health and the autonomous communities have approved this Wednesday a new roadmap that includes a limitation of schedules opening of hotel and nightlife establishments based on the epidemiological situation of the territory.
Thus, from now on the communities should be guided by the ‘Covid traffic light’ -indicator established by the Government to measure the different levels of risk due to coronavirus according to different data- when relaxing the restrictions.
The measure has been applied without consensus, but as recalled by the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, “are mandatory”. In this way, they generalize or, as Darias has indicated, “recast” all the rules approved so far in a single document in which, apart from the criteria for the opening and closing of the hotel and nightlife, they are addressed also other issues. These are the key points of the agreement:
Based on what indicators will it be established?
The indicators established in the ‘Covid traffic light’ will be followed, which classify five risk levels (new normal, low, medium, high and very high), according to a series of epidemiological data.
Thus, according to the indicator that measures the level of risk for the accumulated incidence for 14 days, the traffic light would look like this:
New normal: incidence equal to or less than 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.Under: incidence between 25 and 50 cases. Half: incidence of between 50 and 150 cases. High: incidence of between 140 and 250 cases. Very high: incidence greater than 250 cases. .
Indicators for risk assessment Ministry of Health
Until what time can nightlife venues open?
Whenever a community is out of risk (with an incidence of less than 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants) or in low alert level (below 50 cases), nightlife venues may be opened until 2.00 am; at 3.00 hours in the morning if it is a low incidence area.
What is the capacity limit?
In addition, the capacity in nightlife venues should not exceed the 50% inside the premisesAlthough on the terraces all tables can be occupied, as long as the distance of 1.5 meters is maintained.
Yes there will be a limitation of diners, which should be from now on six people indoors and 10 outdoors. Likewise, as specified for the territories in alert level 1, the consumption of beverages and food must always be seated.
And the hospitality industry?
As for the hotel and restaurant establishments, they will have to close the one in the morning and stop serving new customers after midnight.
The allowed capacity indoors will be also 50% (60% if there is good ventilation), as long as the territory remains at low risk for coronavirus. Outdoors they will maintain the same conditions than nightlife venues (with no capacity limit and a maximum of 10 diners).
In territories in medium alert level (from 50 to 150 incidence), the maximum number of people per table must be six people and drinking in the bar and playing music “at high volume” is prohibited.
What communities are against?
The autonomous governments of the Community of Madrid, Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia, Andalusia and Murcia have voted against these proposals, while Castilla y León and the autonomous city of Melilla have abstained.
In fact, the Community of Madrid has already communicated this Wednesday that it will continue to apply regional regulations by disagreeing with the Health criteria. “We are not at all in disagreement, we do not understand why the Ministry after so many months of lack of leadership only appears when the epidemiological and healthcare situation begins to go well”, declared the Madrid Minister of Health, Enrique Ruiz-Escudero.
Until when will this agreement be maintained?
The objective, as indicated by the Minister of Health, is to maintain prudence until el 70% of the population is not immunized against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
“We have to be able to learn from the lessons we have lived. We know what happened last year “, has warned, remembering the wave of infections at the end of summer. Therefore, the intention is to maintain the restrictions until the desired ‘herd immunity’ has been achieved, something that the Government estimates for mid-August.
