The Consell is inclined to keep the Community closed pending the 'Easter effect'

VALENCIA. Will the Community continue to be closed? Will the hours of the hospitality be extended beyond 6 pm? And that of the shops after 8 pm? These are some of the unknowns that the Interdepartmental Board of the Consell will resolve this Thursday before the expiration, next Tuesday, April 12, of the last package of restrictions to combat the pandemic. On the table is the possibility of relaxing some restrictions in force since March 1, which have allowed the Community to redirect the health crisis to have the lowest accumulated incidence in Spain.

The meeting is held with two major conditions. The first, the lack of time to know the possible impact on the epidemiological situation of the encounters and the greater mobility that have occurred on the days of Holy Week and Easter. The second and most recent, the announcement by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez , about the lifting of the State of Alarm on May 9 and the doubts that this fact generates about the margin that the autonomous communities will have to impose their own restrictions.

In this context, according to sources consulted by Valencia Plaza , the positions that prevail within the Executive are inclined to maintain the bulk of the great restrictions, in particular the perimeter closure of the Valencian Community that has been in force since last 29 of October , but analyze some specific relaxations.

In favor of the maintenance of this perimeter closure, the confirmation of the end of the State of Alarm on May 9 and, on the other hand, the risk that the possible rebound in the incidence due to the 'Easter effect' will take Health with the foot changed if you chose to relax the measurements. 

As indicated this Wednesday by the President of the Executive Pedro Sánchez in an appearance, in just one month it will be the autonomies and the Interterritorial Council that will decide on the perimeter closure and the prohibition of meetings in homes, among other issues.

Thus, the intention for the moment in the Consell - and unless there is a change of opinion - is to extend the current closing until the first week of May so that throughout the next few days the data of infections that leave the holidays can also be tested of Holy Week and Easter in the territory.

Not surprisingly, this Wednesday 149 new cases of coronavirus and 15 more deaths were reported . Figures that represent a slight increase compared to those that had been registered in recent days. 

Now, beyond maintaining prudence in this regard, the Executive of Ximo Puig did study, at least until the last minute of this Wednesday, to relax some restrictions that are currently in force in view of the low incidence that currently has the autonomy, which with 33 cases per 100,000 inhabitants is the lowest in all of Spain. 

Among the measures being analyzed are expanding the maximum number of people per table in bars from four to six as long as the distance between chairs is two meters and also increasing the allowed indoor seating capacity from 30% to 50%. Measures aimed at alleviating the hospitality sector, which demands on the other hand that an extension of the hours be approved so as not to have to close at 6:00 p.m. 

A demand that, according to the Business Coordinator of Leisure and Hospitality, seeks to reverse the decline in economic activity that the sector has suffered compared to the Easter holidays prior to the pandemic. However, the Consell does not seem to have the intention of extending the hours of these establishments to avoid at all costs the dreaded 'late' that already took its toll on the Christmas holidays. 

Shops, culture and sport

Another area in which changes could be considered is that of culture. Specifically, the capacity of cultural centers could also be increased, which are currently 50% and could reach 75%. In the same way, some positions of Compromís are in favor of lowering certain restrictions that affect concerts. 

Without having transcended more specific data of the rest of specific modifications that could be adopted for next week, what is certain is that the Consell also analyzes the softening of some limitations that affect places of worship and sports activities. 

Photo: M. DYLAN / EP

Barceló and Puig say that it does not return "to normality"

With all this context, this Wednesday the Minister of Health, Ana Barceló , warned that with the end of the state of alarm on May 9 "there is no vacuum, it does not rise and we return to normal", but there will be " another scenario "in which the autonomous communities will have" responsibility for the measures "within the scope of their powers. 

Thus, although with the end of the state of alarm, the restrictions that affect fundamental rights, such as the curfew, mobility, the number of people who can be gathered or the capacity of religious confessions, also decline, Barceló wanted to send a message of prudence: "We have a legal framework that includes all the activities in which we have to continue to maintain a level of alert depending on the epidemiological situation, but we have common elements to enforce the protocols in all areas, whether they are activities commercial, catering, hospitality, education, or transportation ".

Thus, since the state of alarm is lifted and until the pandemic is definitively declared over, it will be necessary to "play in another league and with another scenario and with responsibility" the autonomous communities, explained the minister. 

A tone in which the speech of the president of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig , also pivoted , who although he considered that May 9 will be a "turning point" in the de-escalation, he was also prudent in warning that the Generalitat will have to see how this fourth wave evolves to see what measures must be maintained ". "We have a month to see how the pandemic evolves. If you have to change the position, it changes depending on how it goes, but you have to set a horizon, it is important for everyone," he added. Puig also advocated "reaching June and July with an optimal outlook to begin an adequate recovery."