Minister of Health assures Valencia Community on the Costa Blanca “is in a position to move into Phase 3” of Spain’s de-escalation

Minister of Health, Ana Barceló, today assured Valencia Community “is in a position to move into Phase 3” of Spain’s de-escalation.

THE Costa Blanca region is expected to move into the next phase of relaxed lockdown on June 15, though an announcement will be made by central government’s the Minister of Health, Salvador Illa, and the Director of the Coordination Centre for Health Alerts and Emergencies, Fernando Simón, at a press conference tomorrow.

Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, Basque Country, La Rioja, Navarre, Aragon, Extremadura, Andalucia, Murcia, Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza, Gran Canaria, La Palma, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are already in the advanced stage.

Once in Phase 3, the region will enjoy a lot more freedom and the regional government will be given the power to decide how long this period of de-escalation should last and when State of Alarm ends.

In Phase 3, restaurant and bar terraces, which are currently limited to 50 per cent of their capacity, will be able to open up to 75 per cent of capacity. The common areas of the shopping centres may reopen, with restricted capacity.

Social celebrations like weddings and funerals can have up to 150 guests in open spaces and 75 indoors. Wakes may have up to 50 attendees outdoors and 25 indoors, and the churches, up to 75 per cent capacity.

Nightclubs can open with a third of their capacity, though there will be no dancing as social distancing measures will still apply, and casinos and gambling halls can also reopen, with a maximum of 50 per cent of capacity.

In Phase 3, each autonomous community controls measures around the reopening of beaches, and it is expected movement between the three provinces – Alicante, Valencia and Castellon – will be allowed.