News
“Together we’ll stop
this virus”
The official government slogan was
launched last month as the country
went into full lockdown with the
declaration of a State of Emergency.
Restrictions were imposed for an initial
15 days from 8.00am on March 16 and
later extended by a further 15 days on
March 21.
The object of the special measures now
in force until at least Easter Sunday,
April 12, is to curb the spread of
coronavirus disease and to reduce
pressure on hospitals and health care
facilities. In a televised address on
March 14, Spanish president Pedro
Sánchez announced the restrictions in
a broadcast seen by a record audience
of almost 22 million viewers.
His speech was followed by a round
of applause from residents
nationwide, an event organised on
social media which brought people
out onto their balconies and patios to
show support for the health workers
at the forefront of the medical battle.
The initiative has been subsequently
repeated in Nerja and other towns
round the country every evening at
8.00pm.
In a further address on March 21, Sr
Sánchez extended the emergency
restrictions by a further 15 days and
warned, “the worst is yet to come.” He
said the health crisis had reached a
“critical” moment and asked people to
prepare themselves “psychologically”
for the “difficult days” which lie ahead.
According to the World Health
Organisation, Spain is one of the
countries hardest hit by the pandemic,
second only to Italy. The capital
Madrid and the region surrounding the
city have recorded by far most cases,
while the province of Málaga recorded
the youngest fatality of the crisis: a 21-
year-old football coach who was found
to be suffering from previously
undiagnosed leukaemia when he was
rushed to the city’s Hospital Regional
last month. Francisco Garcia, who
managed the junior team at Atlético
Portada Alta in the Teatinos distrct of
Málaga, was thought then to be the
youngest victim of the virus in Europe.
Coronavirus: how has
Spain reacted?
Events surrounding the coronavirus
crisis have been moving at a rapid pace
since the Spanish government declared
a State of Emergency on March 16, and
the impact on daily life in Spain has
developed accordingly. This roundup
of information was correct at the time
Soltalk went to press.
All private hospitals and healthcare
providers were nationalised as fourth-
year medical students were asked to
help the country’s health service.
Companies capable of producing
medical equipment were told to get in
touch with the government.
After it was announced that all hotels
had been ordered to close by March
26, foreign tourists scrambled for
flights home, causing chaos at a
number of airports. The order also
Masks gifted
applied to campsites, caravan parks and
other short-stay accommodation, all of
which the government wants to be
available to be converted into
makeshift hospitals.
The Gran Hotel Colón and the Hotel
Marriot Auditorium in Madrid became
the first to receive coronavirus patients
on March 19 and 20. Deputy president
Pablo Iglesias added that it was also an
“absolute priority” to equip nursing
homes with proper medical facilities
and staff.”
Meanwhile, the provincial government
has been continuing to carry out
disinfection measures at the Hospital
Comarcal de la Axarquía in Vélez-Málaga
and other health care centres in Málaga.
Continued on page 10
9
The Chinese technology giant Alibaba
has gifted half a million protective face
masks to Spain. Its president and
founder Jack Ma described the move as
thanks to King Felipe and his Ministers
for their “crucial actions” and “rapid
reaction” to the coronavirus crisis. The
move follows the donation of 1,000
masks to Spain from the founder of
Huawei, Ren Zhengfei.
Domestic violence
A man was detained in Castellón on
March 20, accused of murdering his 35-
year-old wife in front of their two young
children. The suspect is reported to have
handed himself in to police in the town
of Almassora the morning after she died.
The woman has become the 17th fatal
victim of domestic violence in Spain this
year.
Bonus queried
The pension bonuses which continue to
be paid to 115 police officers awarded
medals during Franco’s regime returned
to the headlines last month.
Confirmation came in a reply to a
parliamentary question from a member
of the Basque EH Bildu coalition which
claims that some officers had been
accused of torture and violating human
rights. They described top-up bonuses of
15% as “unacceptable.”
Ads removed
The popular Spanish classified
advertisement site Milanuncios.com has
removed over 1,000 offers of health-
related products from its pages. Its
management says it will cooperate fully
with government investigations into
such ads. It has also deleted another 100
which offered to “rent” pet dogs to take
for a walk; exercising a domestic pet for
a short time is not prohibited by the
State of Emergency.