From Monday the hospitality industry across the Valencian Community may remain open until 0.30, following the announcement by President Ximo Puig that the curfew has been put back by an hour to 1am.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Interdepartmental Table for Prevention and Action against covid-19, and will remain in place for two weeks, until 7 June. The end of the curfew will remain unchanged at 6am.

The President said that the curfew is remarkably effective in “trying to prevent the nightlife activity which often involves large gatherings of many hundreds of people.

The Superior Court of Justice (TSJ) of the Valencian Community confirmed the announcement, as well as the limitation of groups or meetings of a family and social nature to a maximum number of ten people and the reduction to 75% of the capacity in places of worship.

In restaurants and bars, the limitation of ten diners per table is maintained, as well as the 50% capacity restriction indoors.

The President said that, if on June 7 the data on the evolution of the pandemic is favourable, “we will leave behind the curfew”.

He added that the situation has continued to improve.” In the last two weeks, he said, the regional incidence has dropped from 40 cases per 100,000 inhabitants to 29.8 and hospitalisations have been reduced by 54%.

One other measure that will also come into force on Monday is the 75% increase in capacity in activities related to celebrations, events or gatherings of people, whether sports, cultural or social. In closed spaces the maximum will be 3,000 people, and up to 4,000 in open spaces.

Puig also stressed that “vaccination is the great asset for overcoming the pandemic and it is where we are going to focus all our future efforts.” He stressed that this week end we have almost 2,500,000 doses administered and about 40% of the population has had at least one dose.

The forecast for next week is to administer a further 250,000doses.