On Thursday The Canary Islands announced their special measures for Easter, including requirements for either PCR or Antigen test results before travelling to any of the island in the archipelago. These will include no shows, no karaoke, no concerts or any background music that encourages people to get up or sing. Strictly no dancing.
Curfews will be enhanced to discourage and limit freedom of movement at night, so as to control the potential for larger nightlife gatherings or bars and restaurants exceeding their reduced capacity limits, as infections have continued to climb over recent days, along with hospitalisations due to COVID-19. On the islands currently at alert level 1 night time movements without valid reasons will be restricted between 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., and on islands currently levels above 1, the curfew will start an hour earlier, to between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
This limitation does not affect the performance of the essential activities contained in section 1.5.2 of the Government Agreement of June 19, 2020 and its updates. So that means essential purchases, visits to pharmacies, going to, or assisting others in getting to, healthcare facilities and hospitals, and including emergency veterinarian care.
while the enhanced temporary measures for Easter are in force, entry through ports and airports to the territory of the Canary Islands will be restricted under the terms of the National Health System’s Inter-territorial Council Agreement last Wednesday 10th March. All of Spain’s 17 autonomous have essentially closed their borders over the easter period, while Canary Islands and the Balearics did not have to, they have decided to effectively restrict travel except for those travelling to their habitual home address, or students returning home for the holidays
Public shows and popular events
Public shows (recreational, leisure and leisure activities, including sports, that take place sporadically and in places other than establishments intended for regular exercise of that activity and, in any case, those activities held in removable or open-air facilities), may only be held on those islands that are in a situation of low transmission, corresponding to alert level 1.
Parties, festivals and other popular events are not allowed, which also implies the prohibition of gatherings, processions, celebrations or any other type of event that may encourage the uncontrolled meeting of too many people, or those that involve situations making it difficult or impossible to control compliance with general preventive measures, such as crowding together, sitting or standing in groups of people in numbers greater than those established for each alert level, or indeed that hinder anyone’s ability to maintain interpersonal safety distances, or that breach set capacities, etc.
Likewise, the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages on public roads, parks or outdoor recreation areas is not allowed, and police controls will be strengthened to prevent unauthorised alcohol consumption, and ensure compliance with the maximum numbers of people in meetings, safety distances and other activities, which will not be allowed on public roads, in parks and other outdoor recreation areas, and there will be night-time closures of any spaces in which crowds occur for this reason.
Maximum capacity in catering based on alert levels
In addition to the above measures, depending on the alert level each island is in, catering businesses in alert level 1 may not exceed 75% of the authorised capacity in interior spaces. The maximum occupancy per table will be 4 people, both in outdoor and indoor spaces or in the bar area, respecting a distance of at least 2 meters between chairs at separate tables and between groups of customers in the bar. These establishments will be closed to the public before 11pm.
At alert level 2, it will not be possible to exceed 75% of the authorised capacity in outdoor terraces and 50% in indoor spaces. The maximum occupancy per table will be 4 people, both in outdoor and indoor spaces, and just 2 people per group of clients in the bar, respecting a distance of at least 2 meters between the chairs of different tables and between groups of clients in the bar. Buffet or self-service food cannot be provided indoors. The establishments will close to the public before 10 pm.
At alert level 3, it will not be possible to exceed 50% of the authorised capacity in outdoor terraces, and service indoors is forbidden. Maximum occupancy per table will be 4 people, consumption in the bar, buffet or self-service service indoors are all prohibited.
At alert level 4, the measures indicated for alert level 3 will be complied with, except that the closing time for all establishments open to the public must be before 6:00 p.m. Takeaways can be collected up until 10:00 p.m. and home deliveries can continue until midnight. All establishments are closed to the public before 6:00 p.m.
Specific measures for hotels, restaurants, terraces, bars and cafes
In addition to the general special measures established in the Government Agreement for each alert level, which will be in force between March 26 and April 10, establishments and activities in hotels, restaurants and on terraces, as well as in beach bars and cafes, will follow these measures at all alert levels:
- They must guarantee sufficient ventilation and air renewal of interior spaces.
- A distance of at least 2 metres between chairs from different tables or groups of tables.
- According to the number of people who occupy a table, or group of tables, chairs in which the diners are face to face must be arranged to allow the greatest possible interpersonal distance.
- Consuming food or drink away from the table or the bar space assigned to each client is prohibited.
- Alcoholic beverages cannot be served to any clients who do not occupy a previously assigned table or bar space.
- Smoking is not allowed on terraces or other outdoor spaces, depending on the premises or establishment. The consumption of tobacco, or the use of other inhalation devices, is prohibited within a perimeter of at least 5 meters of any entrances to establishments where smoking has been prohibited.
- Customers must remain seated at their table all the time, limiting travel within the establishment to what is strictly necessary.
- Everyone must use the appropriate masks, except when eating food or drinking beverages.
- Activities that promote crowding, or the failure to maintain interpersonal safety distances or improper use of masks, such as anyone holding parties, dances, karaoke, contests, concerts or background music that invite people to dance or sing, are strictly prohibited.
- The owners of establishments are fully responsible for adopting all necessary measures to avoid the generation of risks that could spread COVID-19 infections.
Strictly No Dancing
