CURFEWS imposed on the general population in a bid to contain the pandemic during its worst months will be lifted from June 7, and have already been dropped in some regions.
Midsummer night beach bonfires, crowds, no masks…a scene from another lifetime, but 2021 could still be too soon for it to happen again. Meanwhile, nights out could be back on schedule soon as the last remaining regions drop their curfews
The last to axe their ban on being outside the home at night are the Balearic Islands and the Comunidad Valenciana, both of which imposed a prohibition on movement from 22.00 at the end of October 2020.
In the three eastern mainland provinces, the curfew has gradually been extended to midnight and, from May 24 until June 6 inclusive, residents can be out of the house until as late as 01.00, but still – as has been the case for around seven months – cannot be out before 06.00 in the morning.
The 06.00 morning curfew has also been in place in the Balearic Islands for the same length of time.
All regions adopted a compulsory curfew when the 'State of Alarm' was announced on October 25, for the second time since the start of the pandemic, and which they were permitted to set starting from between 22.00 and midnight to between 05.00 and 07.00.
Castilla y León wanted to bring its curfew forward to 20.00, but was refused permission.
Valencia and the Balearics were among the strictest with a 22.00-to-06.00 curfew, and since the end of the 'State of Alarm' on May 9, most regions have been gradually lifting theirs, with only these two still having the time restriction in place.
It will also mean no compulsory closing times for shops, bars or other 'non-essential' commercial premises, other than those already in place by law in pre-pandemic times.
Some restrictions may continue, such as the current limit of 50% of the maximum safe numbers of customers in bars and restaurants, and shops may be encouraged to continue with their existing limits – stated on the entrance door and based upon being able to keep a minimum of two metres between persons.
Public events could be limited in numbers for a while yet, although these crowd caps have been relaxed slightly – in the Comunidad Valenciana, a maximum of 1,000 people indoors or 3,000 outside has been imposed until at least June 7.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com