Alex Trelinski
TRAVEL between nearly all of Murcia’s municipalities can resume tomorrow(December 9) along with indoor bar and restaurant service.
The exceptions on both counts are the Los Alcazares and Torre Pacheco areas due to high COVID-19 infection rates.
Their borders will remain closed and hospitality businesses will still be restricted to terrace customers only.
In effect, freedom of movement will be restored to the Murcia region from Wednesday after travel between municipalities was largely stopped on October 29.
Indoor capacity rules for bars and restaurants will vary from area to area, depending on local infection rates.
San Javier and San Pedro del Pinatar will operate at 30% occupancy, with Mazarron at 50% and Mula as high as 75%.
Murcia president, Fernando Lopez Miras said: “We had to make some tough calls over closures but they have paid off with dramatic falls in infection rates.”
Regional infection rates have dropped by 75% in three weeks in the biggest fall in mainland Spain, after the imposition of severe local restrictions.
Lopez Miras added that the regional border closure will remain in place until at least January 6.
He said that he is ‘hopeful’ that family members will be able to come into the region for a few days over the Christmas and New Year holiday.
He has not gone as far as areas like the Valencian Community in laying out specific dates or reduced curfew hours, which are based on national government guidelines.
