Daily updates

The 1km distance has been lifted. As has the travelling somewhere to take exercise. You can now drive anywhere in your province and get out to go for a walk, the countryside, the park, the beach and so on.

And nobody, around here, is sticking to the reserved hours for the over 70s which is still supposed to be in place. Parents out walking with kids, young couples all out when I went out at 10:30 this morning.

Round here, of course, there is little chance of coming into contact with others unless you go into a shop. Whether it's being enforced in the cities I don't know. Bit of common sense, I suppose. After all, these rules have to apply to Calle Gerona in Quesada and with Las Ramblas in Barcelona (or they will when they go to Phase 2) so like comparing two different scenarios.

Not much today. The council passed the resolution that the state of alarm extension will go to a vote on Wednesday.

However, regarding the number of deaths, someone else is as confused as me.
The Health Ministry reported no new deaths today for the second day running. But, Veronica Casado (the Min of Health for Castilla y Leon) questioned how this could be when they reported 2 deaths, 5 in Castilla La Mancha and 3 in Asturias. Then the Madrid Health department said there had been 11 in Madrid.

Sra Casado seems to echo my view when she said "the control of the number of deaths is not well understood".
Too right Señora.

It would seem they are saying there were deaths but the historic records showed some who were counted previously were now listed as something else. Which, to me, there was not a zero death count yesterday even if the numbers haven't gone up.

Mind you, UK seems to doing this number dance as well. They announced 111 new deaths yesterday but the actual numbers went up by 556.
Strange goings on by the bean counters.

Murcia has requested to go to Phase 3 from next Monday but to be able to keep restrictions on the number allowed to meet both indoors and out. Phase 3 says 200 can meet outdoors and 80 indoors but they want it to be limited to 100 and 50 respectively.

Persons entering Spain (just those allowed) will continue to have to have 14 days quarantine until arrivals up to 1st July.

They've also called on limits to people entering national parks and tourist areas such as the Sierras which are attracting more and more people.

Maybe, just maybe, sometimes it takes a couple of days to get all the data and a death from a few days ago goes on today's list, I don't know... but even if they undershoot by 50% it is still good news for us all I think..

Thanks Marcliff for all you do..

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Just seen this posted by TimSpain on FB (good idea, didn't fancy the Madrid lot coming down just yet) :-

Spain’s Government has announced that residents will not be able to travel to other communities/regions of the country in Phase 3 of de-escalation.

THEY will now have to wait “until the new normal”, confirmed Health Minister Salvador Illa. Today’s message contradicts yesterday’s announcement made by the Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos, who said that it would be possible for autonomous communities in Phase 3 to establish mobility “between communities that are in the same phase”.

Although regional premiers can decide whether or not to allow mobility between provinces within their own regions in Phase 3 of de-escalation, movement between different communities cannot take place until the “new normal” is reached, clarified Illa in today’s press conference.

Illa specified that the regional heads will have “full governance” in Phase 3, and “it will be up to them if they decide to allow mobility between provinces in their own communities”. It will also be the regional premiers who decide if they are ready to progress to the so-called “new normal” phase, which is when residents will be able to move freely between autonomous communities, he said.

In addition, Illa insisted that it is “essential for the public to continue to follow hygiene and protection recommendations, and continue to use face masks and respect social distancing to avoid infection in the “new normal”.

Nothing will stop the Madridlenos coming to Torrevieja

I agree Fred. Torrevieja depends on its second residence business for its prosperity. I don't see either the Communidad Valenciana or Andalucia banning movement between provinces. How could you allow in foreign tourists and ban citizens from other provinces of your own country. Totally daft.

Bee

As expected, the one week extension to the state of alarm was passed by parliament today. This will be the last extension and take us up to 21st June.

Huge slagfest at the meeting today, made our Prime Minister Questions look like a very gentlemanly affair.
The PP Conservatives accused Sanchez of killing Spanish people by letting the Women's Day March and a football match to go ahead at the beginning of March. Sanchez accused the PP or killing Spanish people by not backing the measures in the state of alarm. Everybody seemed to be calling everybody else a liar (something not allowed in our parliament) and everybody blamed everybody else for something or other. One female delegate said she was close to tears and pretty surprising a bit punch up didn't start. Now it seems as if everyone is calling for an official investigation into everyone's handling of the epidemic.

A judge threw out a case against Simon, the director of the state of alarm, for loads of things.

It was announced that there was one death from CV in Spain today although the number of deaths has gone up by 29 since yesterday (nope, still can't understand it).

There have been 44,000 excess deaths (the number above the 5 year average for this time of year) since the pandemic started.

We will enter Phase 3 from 15th June. There is a possibility we will inter province travel by then but that will be decided by the central government. Everything else will be decided by the regional governments from 15th June but Madrid will control the policy on mobility.

Italy opened its borders to other EU countries today and an Alitalia flight landed in Barcelona with one scheduled to Madrid on Friday. Any passengers, who can still only come in if they are Spanish residents, citizens or essential travellers, will have to quarantine for 14 days.

Germany opened up international travel to several EU countries but not Spain or Norway. This is because of the quarantine rules in those countries.

Austria opened its borders with its neighbouring countries but not Italy.

Spain may allow tourists from certain countries from the 15th June but they will be restricted to one province. Spain hopes to open international travel from 1st July if countries show a marked drop in CV cases. The UK was not specifically mentioned (nor were dozens of other countries). Greece may allow Brits in from June 15th but with severe restrictions on movement such as 7 days quarantine if they test negative but Cyprus continues its ban on UK tourists.

Next week, each head of the autonomous communities will set out their plans for after the areas enter Phase 3 and the state of alarm regulations go to them instead of Madrid (except mobility).

What happens when the state of emergency ends. Is everything up for grabs? If Moncloa are solely making the rules on travel does that mean that the autonomous communitues could change or end the 2mtr. Could shops, bars and restaurants could operate at full capacity. Could pool and beach regulations change? I presume the Minister for Health will no longer be issuing edicts.

Bee

That's the idea. The regional governments will say how it's handled for the last week of the state of alarm (not state of emergency, that's another level up). Thing is, part of the Royal Decree which started all this off says the autonomous communities must still provide data on testing, number of cases, infection rates, death rates and so on and, if these rise considerably, the autonomous community could be pushed back to a phase that gives control back to the central government.

They already have autonomy on exercise time slots, beach access within reason and other things but haven't done a lot to change the national rules.

Thanks Marcliff. I expect nobody will want to step out of line too much in the autonomous communities. I just wonder at all these bollards being erected on beaches etc. They are hardly envisaged as short-term if the state of alarm is ending on 21st June. As you say they have stayed in line with the national rules up to now.

Bee