John Culatto
AUTHORITIES will be lifting the COVID-19 curfew as from March 25 in Gibraltar and removing the rule to wear masks in the town centre from 11.59pm on March 27.
Restaurants and bars will be able to remain open until 2am for the first time in a year.
However, drinking in public places from 7pm to 8pm will still be forbidden, other than in outdoor bar areas.
The public will still need to wear masks in enclosed public places, inside shops and on public transport.
There were no new infections today, none of the 15 active COVID-19 cases are now in hospital and over 30,000 people have been vaccinated.
This achievement has global significance as it shows that vaccines are the key to a return to normality.
All today’s easing of coronavirus rules come on the back of public health advice.
‘Hopeful spring’
Minister for Civil Contingencies Samantha Sacramento said the release of the restrictions was ‘as a result of the successful vaccination programme’ and the community following the rules’
“Tomorrow, another of the COVID-19 restrictions will be relaxed as the midnight curfew is deemed no longer to be necessary,” she said.
“The public are nevertheless reminded to continue to follow public health advice and guidance so that we can continue to keep the numbers down.”
Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, spoke of ‘leaving behind our deadliest winter’ and welcoming ‘our most hopeful spring’.
“The global pandemic isn’t entirely behind us and we must all move forward carefully to safeguard this incredible progress in the weeks and months ahead,” said Picardo.
“I look forward to shortly being able to lift the restrictions on the freedom of assembly as we remove all restraints on our hard won civil liberties.”
However, he warned that the push toward normality had to be done ‘in keeping with public health advice and in a safe and prudent manner’.
