The president of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig, announced on Saturday that he will be extending by a further 21 days, to 29 September, the preventive measures against the coronavirus that were adopted on 17 August to strengthen the control of the pandemic and to protect all Valencian citizens.
These are the restrictions that mainly affect the limitation of hours and capacity, as well as aspects related to family and social gatherings, and access to care homes for the elderly and people with functional diversity.
The new order is expected to be published in the Official Gazette of the Generalitat Valenciana on Monday and will come into force next Tuesday.
Puig said, “We must accelerate the control we have of the pandemic as well as being relentless in the restrictive and preventive measures that we have put in place.”
Extension of preventive measures
The measures that are extended, first approved on 17 August, refer to nightlife, hotels and restaurants, mass events, residences, smoking and screening.
The suspension of the activity of discos, dance halls, karaoke and cocktail bars, with and without live musical entertainment, will be maintained.
Likewise, in hotel and restaurant establishments, terraces and beach bars or restaurants, the obligation to ensure 1.5 meters between the tables or groups of tables must be maintained. This distance must be measured between the people closest to the different tables or groups, which must have a maximum occupancy of 10 people.
Hotel and restaurant establishments and services must close no later than 01.00 hours. In addition, food and drink cannot be consumed outside the terrace area, and the consumption of alcohol on the street or in public areas is not allowed.
The new resolution also includes gambling casinos, bingo halls, gaming rooms, arcades and betting premises which must also close no later than 01.00 hours, with no access of new customers from midnight. These measures apply every day of the week, including holidays.
Family or social gatherings are limited to a maximum of 10 people while events exceeding 400 people must have prior authorisation by the General Directorate of Public Health.
The smoking ban on public roads or other outdoor areas continues, where a minimum interpersonal distance of at least 2 metres cannot be respected. This limitation applies to any inhalation device for tobacco, water pipes, hookahs or similar, including electronic cigarettes or vaping.
Ximo Puig has also agreed to implement the Radar Covid ‘app’ developed by the Government, as different technical and compatibility aspects are resolved. “This tool will help us in early detection tasks: early detection for early care,” he said.
He also confirmed that Coronavirus trackers provided by the Ministry of Defence will begin to operate in the Community in the next few days.
