News
State of Alarm: the
story so far
The State of Alarm in Spain, including
a 15-day ban on unnecessary travel, was
first imposed on March 14 to combat
the threat brought about by
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
On March 30, further restrictions on
movement were introduced extending
operating bans on all businesses
involved in non-essential activities.
Work exempted included jobs
considered necessary for the
maintenance of basic social functions
and for the efficient working of the
institutions of state and public
administrations.
The peak of the crisis came around the
first week of April, and by Easter, the
number of deaths nationally from the
virus fell to its lowest level since March
24, plus a sharp decline in the number
of new cases diagnosed. However,
health minister Salvador Illa warned
that Spain had not yet reached a “de-
escalation phase” and would continue
in lockdown, while Prime Minister
Pedro Sánchez warned that, “any slip-
up could lead to a relapse.”
With the harvest season on the
horizon, the government announced
on April 7 that between 75,000 and
80,000 people would be taken on to
work in the agriculture sector until
June 30 to ensure that the food supply
chain is maintained. The government
said these could include those
presently unemployed as well as legally
resident foreign workers.
On April 9, Parliament approved an
extension of the State of Emergency to
April 26, with PM Sánchez saying he
was “convinced” a further extension
would become necessary, but adding,
“The fire starts to come under control.”
Some non-essential workers,
particularly those who cannot work
from home, were allowed to return to
work on April 13 but were required to
observe distancing rules while
commuting and in the workplace. PM
Sánchez said the decision was taken
after consulting a committee of
experts, but the regional government
in Cataluña described Madrid’s
decision as “imprudent” and
“reckless.”
The government said on April 15 that
an estimated ten per cent of school
children do not have home access to
the technology required to do online
coursework. As a result, it concluded,
all students in early education,
primary, secondary and the first year
of pre-university studies should
automatically be given a passing grade
this academic year, with teachers
deciding the exact scores each pupil is
awarded, based on performance during
the first two terms. However, next day
Andalucía and other regions governed
by the opposition Partido Popular
objected, demanding more clarity from
the Education Ministry to avoid
regional inequalities.
By April 18, the number dead from
coronavirus in Spain had topped
20,000 but after more than five weeks
confinement, parents and regional
governments were calling for Spain’s
8.3 million minors to be allow to go
outside.
From April 27, children up to age 14
were finally allowed out for walks in
the fresh air for one hour a day
between 9.00am and 9.00pm. Groups
of up to three minors must be
accompanied by an adult from their
own household and observe existing
safety regulations in place for adults.
Those aged 15 to 17 are allowed out
alone for the same essential reasons as
adults, if authorised to do so by their
parents, but barred from gathering in
groups. Use of masks for minors is not
obligatory but is recommended by the
government, while most public parks,
children’s playgrounds and beaches
remain closed.
In mid-April, PM Sánchez said that the
“most extreme moments” had passed
and the “brutal onslaught of the
pandemic” had been contained.
However, he added that achievements
were “fragile” and “still insufficient” so
the State of Alarm would be extended
to May 10, a move approved in an 11-
hour session of Congress on April 22.
But he added that shortly after that,
there would be a “cautious and
progressive” de-escalation of
Continued on page 10
9
Tourism suffers
A leading tourist organisation in the
Axarquía says tourism in the region will
face losses of at least 80% this year.
Exceltur estimates that this will be
capped at €54,000 million if businesses
can re-open by June. It says that the
absence of tourists during Easter Week
because of the pandemic reduced the
expected 15% of annual turnover during
that period to zero.
WhatsApp arrests
Two men were detained in Algeciras last
month accused of creating a WhatsApp
group to organise coordinated actions to
attack the police. One claimed that he
had been beaten by officers monitoring
compliance with the present
confinement measures. Investigators
said that at the time the group was
disbanded, its members had been
discussing using “pepper grenades” to
protest against alleged brutality.
Health theft
A business man from Santiago de
Compostela has been detained on
suspicion of the theft of health products
in Galicia to sell in Portugal. Two million
face masks, plus surgical gloves and
other protective clothing were amongst
the haul valued at €5 million. Police
believe the robbery was committed in
February and that the suspect was “fully
aware” he could make money from his
actions.
Drone monitor
The council in the Murcia town of
Mazarron has become the first to trial
the use of a drone fitted with a thermal
camera to measure the temperature of
people walking outdoors. The
procedure, previously only used in
China, was tested by volunteers from the
municipality’s Civil Protection group.
The drone with the special camera also
carries a loudspeaker which can be used
to broadcast messages in Spanish and
English during the current State of
Alarm.