Spain’s Madrid closes down everything tonight that is not “essential” due to the coronavirus pandemic

Madrid in Spain has decided to close down “everything that is not essential” in an attempt to control the coronavirus pandemic that has hit the town hard.

That means that all stores that sell products that are not deemed “essential” will close after midnight today, Friday, and will last until March 26.

Cinemas, nightclubs, restaurants, concert halls, gyms, cocktail bars and other similar establishments will close at midnight. Only supermarkets, butchers, bakeries and other food-related stores will stay open as well as pharmacies, gas stations and kiosks.

Madrid takes these new measures after more than 600 infections have been reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the cases in the Madrid area to almost 2,000.