From Monday May 25 Gran Canaria’s beaches, bars and shopping centres all begin to reopen, with restrictions and limited capacity.
The government has announced that starting from Monday all the Canary Islands will enter phase 2 of the de-escalation plan, as laid out by the Spanish government. However, the final regulations have not yet been approved, so we will not know the fine detail until the Spanish State Gazette (known as the BOE) is published.
These are the activities that will be allowed during this phase of de-escalation:
- – Members of the public can finally go to the beach again, where most sports or leisure activities can be exercised individually and without physical contact. So swimming and sun bathing is allowed again.
- – Bars and restaurants can start serving food inside their premises, with a maximum of 40% of their licensed capacity allowed to be used and a safety distance between the tables of at least 2 meters. Discos and nightclubs will remain closed for now.
- – Shopping centres (centro comerciales) will be allowed to open fully, but with a maximum capacity of 30% in common areas (which are only allowed to be used for transit) and up to 40% capacity for other business premises. Children’s areas and toy libraries must remain closed for now.
- – The capacity in shops and other outlets is increased to 40%
- – Visits to supervised residential care centres and residential centres for the disabled are again allowed but must be pre-arranged and are limited to one family member per inhabitant, as well as requiring the use of PPE personal protective equipment, as advised by the facility.
- – Visits to nursing homes are only to be possible in exceptional cases, such as imminent death or to alleviate neurocognitive distress of impaired residents (such as Alzheimer’s sufferers etc.). These visits must not take place if there are any cases of COVID-19 associated with the visitor or any resident in quarantine.
- – Up to 25 people can now attend a funeral or cremation ceremony. In the case of a wake, 25 people are allowed to congregate in open rooms or 15 people in closed rooms.
- – The capacity for people attending places of worship has increased to 50
- – Weddings are allowed once again in all kinds of facilities, provided attendance does not exceed fifty percent of normal venue capacity, but in any case, a maximum of one hundred people may congregate in open spaces or fifty people at an indoor space. Social distancing rules apply, hand hygiene and face masks must be observed.
- – Exhibition halls can be used up to one third of their capacity.
- – Cinemas, theatres and auditoriums can reopen, with previously assigned seating and up to one third of the client capacity. Other venues where cultural events or shows take place are limited to 50 people when they are in a closed space, and no more than 400 when they take place out in the open.
- – Visits to cultural monuments are now possible, but with a 30% of capacity limit.
- – Swimming pools for leisure activities may open under strict conditions that keep them free of pathogenic micro-organisms and any substances which may affect the health of the pool users. Maximum capacity is 30%, there must be creation of schedules in shifts, and 2 meters safety distance between the floats.
- – Sports swimming pools, both outdoors and indoor, can re-open at up to one third of their capacity, with an appointment required and a single swimmer per “lane”.
- – Non-professional sports activity can be exercised at any time, except between 10 am & 12 noon, and from 7pm – 8pm which are reserved for people over 70 years of age.
- – Basic and individual training for athletes from non-professional leagues is once again allowed, along with training for professionals (but in shifts and at no more than 50% of the capacity of the venue).
- – Professional sports competitions are resume so long as the general development of the health situation allows for it, without spectators and behind closed doors, although the media can access the events for their transmission.
- – Covered sports facilities are open for sports activities, by appointment and at 30% of their capacity.
- – Hotels can once again open communal zones to the public, but only at one third of the licensed capacity.
- – Libraries will allow the use of their rooms with a third of their maximum capacity.
- – Groups are allowed to carry out active tourism and other activities in the natural environment and this will be extended to individuals and members of the public.
- – Congresses, meetings, business meetings and conferences with a maximum of 50 participants are allowed once more.
