Vera cracks down on rule flouters to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks

SANCTIONS: Local Police are fining anyone not wearing a face mask CREDIT: Ayuntamiento de Vera

VERA Council is cracking down on anyone flouting rules aimed at preventing the risk of Covid-19 infections.
The aim is to avoid what the Public Safety councillor Alfonso Garcia described as “the irresponsibility of some thoughtless people damaging the tourist season of residents, visitors, hospitality sector establishments and tourism sector businesses.”
Garcia made it clear that Local Police are now fining anyone not wearing a face mask in compliance with the Junta de Andalucia regulation making it compulsory, rather than basically informing and warning people as they have been since the State of Alarm was lifted.
Officers are also issuing fines for so-called ‘botellones,’ or boozy gatherings in public places, usually of young people.
“Due to the lack of civic responsibility of many people who do not respect the prevention measures to avoid coronavirus infections it is becoming necessary to report and fine both those who are not wearing a protective mask as well as those doing botellones, putting their health and that of others at risk,” Garcia explained.
He revealed that in just one night last Saturday police reported some 100 people for not wearing masks, with fines of €100, and 40 for drinking in groups in public places, leading to fines of between €100 and €300.
Wearing a mask to prevent the spread of the virus and prevent outbreaks is “a matter of responsibility and solidarity with the rest of the population because this is a health crisis and protection is the job of everyone,” he stressed.
The council also reported that in the light of recent outbreaks of the virus in nearby localities associated with nightlife it is giving out an informative circular to all nightspots and hospitality trade businesses listing the compulsory rules on the urgent and extraordinary measures they have to adopt to prevent Covid-19 infections.
The circular includes the corresponding fines if they don’t, which in the case of very serious violations go all the way up to €600,000.
The local authority said the aim is ensure all businesses receive the information.
Vera mayor Jose Carmelo Jorge Blanco appealed to all businesses and their customers to behave responsibly in order to contain the pandemic.

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Written by

Cathy Elelman

Cathy Elelman is the local writer for the Costa de Almeria edition of the Euro Weekly News.

Based in Mojacar for the last 21 years, Cathy is very much part of the local community and is always well and truly up on all the latest news and events going on in this region of Spain.

Her top goals are to do the best job she can informing the local English-speaking community, visitors to the area and the wider world about about the news in Almeria, to learn something new every day, and to embrace very new challenge this fast-changing world brings her way.

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