Charlie Smith
BARS and restaurants in Andalucia have been told that from Monday they may open their terraces at 100% capacity and interiors at 75%.
Under this latest easing of COVID-19 lockdown, hotels will also be permitted to open communal areas with 50% of their usual occupancy.
A 1.5 metre distance will need to be maintained between tables, while the maximum group size will be limited to 25.
Other details in today’s announcement include cinemas and theatres opening at 65% capacity.
Outdoor gigs may have crowds of up to 1,500 people, as long as revellers practice social distancing.
Meanwhile a maximum of 60 people are allowed at outdoor funeral services, 30 indoor and 75 at wakes.
It comes as Spain’s 15-week-long state of alarm, first announced on March 14 is set to end at midnight on June 21 in what Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez dubbed the ‘new normality’.
The latest announcements were made in the Andalucian Parliament’s plenary session today by the President of Junta Juanma Moreno.
The PP leader also revealed that the region would ‘maintain emergency Level 2’ until an intervention from the Directorate of Public Health.
This level of the Andalucian Territorial Emergency Plan was enacted for the first time ever on March 14.
It grants the Junta special measures during ‘situations of serious risk, catastrophe or public calamity’.
Speaking on the hotel limits Moreno said: “I know that in other communities 75% will be authorised, but here we want to be cautious.”
He added: “On Sunday we began the challenge of gradually recovering habits that Covid has forced us all to change.
“We have been an example for all of Spain.”
The PSOE Andalucian Leader of the Opposition, Susana Diaz, was critical of Moreno of his plans for schools opening in September.
She also told the Junta boss: “You have the sole command, and the health of the Andalucians is in your hands.”
The new announcements are set to be finalised in a session of the Governing Council and Moreno said that unions are ‘being consulted’ over the plans.
