Easy to Read De-Escalation Calendar and Detailed List of Activities for Easing Spain Out of Lockdown & Adopting a New Normality on Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced a plan for de-escalating out of Spain’s lockdown, to make things simpler we have constructed a basic table of what is meant to happen and when. However, the phases are explained in more detail below.  

Please note that the dates outlined on the table above are purely based on the two-week brace period that Prime Minister Sanchez has announced, they are by no means finalised dates and are subject to change based on the evolution of the coronavirus in Spain.

Phase 0

We are currently in this phase, the preparation phase but it will formally begin on May 4. Apart from the common relief measures already approved by the state, this phase allows:

• Children under the age of 14 to go out with an adult for an hour a day
• Members who live in the same home can go for walks together or individually and exercise can also be practised
• Premises and establishments who take previous appointments will be allowed to open for individual customer service.
  • These premises must have a counter, or a screen for protection, although if this is not possible there must be a maximum guarantee of individual protection
  • In addition, a preferential schedule for people over 65 will be included.
• Restaurants may open and offer food services for take-away only. Customers can go to pick up their own food, but this must not be consumed on the premises.
• Individual training sessions for professional and federated athletes as well as the basic training of professional leagues can resume
• The care of garden plots, self-owned or municipal, as long as they are in the same municipality as that of the home, or one adjacent to it and the appropriate hygienic measures and social distancing is adopted.
• In the workplace, working from home is still recommended if possible. The staggering in entries and exits of work entries is also encouraged.
• All public places will be intensified to adapt to protection measures in preparation for the next phase.

Phase 1

This is the initial stage of de-escalation where activity will partially begin to restart in each territorial space. If all goes well this is due to start on May 11.

• In the personal sphere, social contact will be allowed for small groups and amongst people who are not vulnerable or have previous pathologies.
• The general opening of commercial premises and establishments that do not resemble a shopping centre and capacity is limited to 30 per cent.
  • A minimum distance of two metres between clients will be guaranteed. When this is not possible, only one client will be allowed at a time.
• Bar and cafés with terraces can open to use their outdoor space but with limited occupation which is capped at 30 per cent capacity
• Hotels and tourist accommodation can also open, but all common areas must be closed.
• When each council decides, outdoor markets can also restart on public roads but with safety distances between stalls and only 25 per cent of stalls allowed
• Places of worship can open but with capacity capped at 30 per cent
• Wakes will be allowed for a limited number of family members, with physical distance and security protocols being respected
• Progressive reactivation of social services, with a priority given to the most disadvantaged groups, based on the established health recommendations. In addition, home care and continuous monitoring of elderly people who do not live in residences will start again at full force.
• Opening of libraries again at limited capacity
• Cultural acts and shows allowed with less than 30 people at an indoor event each time and outdoor events less than 200 people when keeping with necessary distances
• The opening of museums (only visits not activities) capped at 30 per cent capacity
• Nature tourism for limited groups of people
• Opening of outdoor sports facilities to practise non-contact sport: athletics, tennis etc

Phase 2

This is the intermediate transition stage and if the conditions required are met, this stage will begin on May 25.

• Social contact in larger groups for people who are not vulnerable or have previous pathologies
• You may go to a second residence if this is in the same province
• Businesses may begin serving in the interior space of premises but limiting capacity to 30 per cent and guaranteeing safety distances between customers. Only table service is allowed, no bar service.
• Public shopping centres can reopen but not use of common areas allowed
• Regarding schools, the government has established some exceptions to reopen educational centres to reinforce activity, and guarantee children under six to school so parents can work
• Training and educational centres can reopen like academies, driving schools etc.
• Hunting and sport fishing can resume
• Leisure and culture centres such as cinemas, theatres and auditoriums can be reopened with a preassigned seat and capacity limited to 30 per cent.
• Cultural acts and shows with less than 50 people will be allowed in closed settings, if it’s outdoors then 400 people can attend if they are seated with safety distances
• Places of worship can expand capacity to 50 per cent
• Wedding celebrations can resume with a limited number of attendees
• Wakes with less limitations will resume
• Visits to a relative with disabilities or in sheltered housing can resume but not in nursing homes

Phase 3

This phase is meant to mark the beginning of a ‘new normality’ and hopefully this can begin on June 8

• Social contact for people who are not vulnerable to the virus or have previous pathologies
• Beaches are reopened to the public under predetermined conditions and respecting safety distances
• Shops can expand their capacity to 50 per cent whilst abiding to the two-metre safety distance
• For bars and restaurants capacity will also be extended to 50 per cent and separation between tables must be guaranteed. People standing must have a minimum separation of 1.5 metres on the bar
• Terraces also expand their capacity to 50 per cent of tables allowed and can request more space if the council allows it
• The opening of nightlife bars and clubs with a maximum capacity of a third
• Weddings for a larger number of attendees allowed
• Wakes with larger amounts of people
• People can go to squares, venues and bullfighting rings
• Theme parks and outdoor leisure of less than 800 people allowed to reopen
• Sports fields will be allowed to carry out activities in closed spaces, public limited to only one person for every 20 squared metre
• Sports matches with a maximum of 30 per cent capacity
• In the workplace, protocols for face-to face reincorporation will be established for companies with staggered hours and conciliation guarantees.