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Daily updates

Re: Daily updates

Postby marcliff » Sat Jun 04, 2022 2:46 pm

Yes, I know we all think the restrictions in Spain have been totally cancelled but there have still been some lingering which have today been annulled.

Swimming pools and water parks have been limited to capacity and that includes communal pools. This has now been cancelled and limits are back to 100% of capacity. The wearing of facemasks, which has still been extant in these areas, is also cancelled.
However, it is still recommended that caution is taken in crowded pool areas and that masks should be used if the 1.5 m distance cannot be maintained (on the patios and terraces, of course, not in the pool). Prudence is also recommended on beaches for the wearing of facemasks if the distance cannot be guaranteed.

Safety at pools and on beaches is a big concern as there have been several deaths in these places recently. It is reiterated that pools with a surface area between 200 and 500 sq m must have a lifeguard and pools 500 to 1000 sq m must have at least 2 lifeguards.

The BOE also points out that smoking on bar and restaurant terraces continues to be banned. Some 80 beaches in the Valencia Region have also banned smoking on beaches but I can't seen any in this general area that bans it.

Still some restrictions at large sporting events and parades although these events must publish the restrictions before the event and are no longer all encompassing.
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Re: Daily updates

Postby marcliff » Mon Jun 06, 2022 4:28 pm

Just a bit of news about the Valencia Region.
Over the last couple of years, the Valencian government have been trying to stamp out the use of the Spanish language in this region. The socialist leader of the Valencian Community has committed to join the "Catalan" federacy of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.

Firstly, all job interviews for any government post in the Region must be held in Catalan.
Parents were given the choice to have their children taught in either Spanish or Catalan with 15% of the classes in the language that is not the main teaching one. Now, he is proposing that only Catalan is to be used and many parents, and pupils, are up in arms over this.

Now, all road signs, most of which are signed in both languages, will have the Spanish version removed. Elche will only be Elx, Villajoyosa will be La Vila Joiosa and so on.
The majority of those in the north of the region do speak Catalan but, as you come further south, Spanish takes precedence although around here it is a mixture. Although the language is called Valenciana, it is comparable with Catalan. It has been pointed out that only 30% of the residents of the region are fully Valenciana speakers, the President and the Minister of Education want to turn this round so Valenciana becomes dominant.

Teachers have been instructed to only speak in Catalan. All court cases are to be held in Catalan only.

A group called Hablamos Espanol (we speak Spanish) are threatening to take the regional government to the EU claiming that no other country in the world has a regional dialect as its primary language. It does point out that Wales would be the only comparable one but that parents and pupils are given free choice in which language they wish to be taught. Even the Basque Region does not have Basque as a sole language but allows schools to teach in four different languages depending on where they come from but that Spanish is still dominant in the education establishments.

I do remember, some time ago, going to Catalonia and a waiter refusing to speak to me in Spanish and required me to learn Catalan although he was quite happy when I reverted to English. My buenos dias was met with a stony bom dia.

Sworn translations of documents, currently acceptable if they are translated to Spanish, may only be accepted if translated to Valenciana/Catalan for official purposes.

Considering the number of various Spanish dialects around, it would seem sensible to use one common language but, obviously, politicians have never been known to be sensible.
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Re: Daily updates

Postby marcliff » Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:25 pm

Despite the rise in covid cases in the Valencia Region, the Min of Health has said there are no plans to reintroduce restrictions. Hospitalisations are slightly up and ICU admittances show a very small increase.
Throughout Spain, the number hospitalised is 4 times that of June last year but those in intensive care is a third less than then.
The Min of Health has iterated the advice on what to do if you test positive for coronavirus.
Confirmed cases will not go into isolation and close contacts will not have any quarantine imposed.
You are simply advised to avoid contact with others, especially those who are regarded as vulnerable, for a period of 10 days and to wear a facemask if coming into contact with others. They are also advised to stay away from crowded venues, such as sporting events, for that length of time.

Only those who work in health establishments, care homes, prisons or other institutionalised persons are to refrain from going to work for 5 days and then taking another test.

For those who do test positive, you should contact the health authorities if you have a fever of 38C for 3 days or more of if the symptoms worsen and you get breathing problems. Either on 112 or through your health centre.

The EU has agreed to extend the so-called Covid Passport for another year until June 2023.
This means travellers to EU countries require the certificate showing a full vaccine schedule, a recovery certificate or a negative covid test for entry. However, the passport for inter EU travel may be cancelled earlier depending on the evolution of the virus. There are no plans to change the requirement for the certificate for non-EU travellers at the moment. Only travellers over the age of 12 from 3rd countries without the equivalent of a covid passport are required to complete the locator form.

The EU has purchased over 100,000 vaccines against the so-called Monkeypox. Spain will be the first country to receive them and will be rolling them out to groups identified to be at risk and other countries will receive them later depending on the amount of cases reported.

Regarding exchange of UK driving licences to Spanish. The British Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliot, has stated that this should be resolved by the end of July and a reciprocal deal is looking likely.

Please not the end of July was in inverted commas.
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Re: Daily updates

Postby Bee » Wed Jun 29, 2022 4:58 pm

Thanks Marcliff. There seems to be a new surge in the old Covid figures in all countries. The vaccines are making the big difference this time round. Hopefully the reciprocal driving licence will get sorted. Mind you it always appears to be the end of whatever is the next calendar month :)
Re your previous post on the Valenciana language imposition. If ever there was a way to kill a language it's to make it compulsory against the wishes of the people.

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Re: Daily updates

Postby marcliff » Sun Jul 17, 2022 2:23 pm

In a BOE issued on Friday, the requirements for visitors from 3rd countries (including UK) are extended until September 15th. This is the one requiring EITHER a covid certificate showing the full vaccination schedule completed, a covid recovery certificate OR a PCR within 72 hours of arrival OR an antigen test within 24 hours of arrival for all over 12 years of age.

Anyone with a valid covid certificate does not need to complete the locator form but will still be necessary if having a test as the certificate will not be updated to show this.

Saying that, our neighbours arrived yesterday and weren't asked for any health documentation on arrival. They did need them at Manchester, though.
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Re: Daily updates

Postby marcliff » Fri Aug 12, 2022 4:06 pm

The only place water restrictions are in place in our region is the Island of Tabarca. A huge influx of tourists has made the restrictions necessary.

For the first time in two and half years, all the hotels in the Costa Blanca are reporting they are full. It's also reported that private lets are up to maximum but it is pointed out that this is difficult to monitor as it's estimated 1 in 3 private homes are let illegally.

Getting hotter and tomorrow is forecast to reach 40C in our area again and not cooling down until this time next week although my weather warning bit tells me rain is coming (mind you, it's said that about 3 times in the last week and we haven't had any). Guess it's time to water the plants and wash the car to ensure we get rain. Usually happens.

18 of the 22 national parks in the Valencia Region have been closed due to the fire risk and drones are being sent up to monitor the areas. But still we have the idiots setting off fireworks in extremely dry areas and the French reg car in front of me yesterday had the driver throwing his cigarette butt out the window.

Covid cases, hospitalisations and deaths are all well down this week although the Valencian Region has had the highest number of cases in all of Spain in the last week. Just 25 deaths in the last week, though, and the ages ranged from 73 to 92 among women and 77 to 101 in men.
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Re: Daily updates

Postby marcliff » Thu Sep 01, 2022 7:31 pm

The Hipra vaccine has only just started human trials and its rollout may be delayed. Meanwhile, the EMA has approved the Pfizer and Moderna new vaccines to be used as a booster for those who have had the full routine of 3 vaccines. This could be offered as soon as the end of this month in those at risk and the over 80s and then going down the ages. The full strategy will be published once it is known when the vaccines are expected to arrive.

Cases, hospitalisations, ICU admittances and deaths are at a very low level in Spain at the moment.
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Re: Daily updates

Postby Chrisdee » Thu Sep 01, 2022 7:34 pm

Good to hear thank you
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Re: Daily updates

Postby Floreus » Thu Sep 01, 2022 8:06 pm

:text-goodpost:
marcliff wrote:The Hipra vaccine has only just started human trials and its rollout may be delayed. Meanwhile, the EMA has approved the Pfizer and Moderna new vaccines to be used as a booster for those who have had the full routine of 3 vaccines. This could be offered as soon as the end of this month in those at risk and the over 80s and then going down the ages. The full strategy will be published once it is known when the vaccines are expected to arrive.

Cases, hospitalisations, ICU admittances and deaths are at a very low level in Spain at the moment.
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Re: Daily updates

Postby marcliff » Fri Dec 09, 2022 4:58 pm

From 1st Jan 2023, Croatia will become a part of Schengen. This will mean that any time spent in Croatia will now count against the 90/180 days in Schengen areas.

Bulgaria and Romania's applications to become a part of Schengen has been refused as several countries don't believe their border controls are secure and point out the amount of corruption in those countries border controls plus the lack of action against organised crime means they remain at risk countries.
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