Tougher restrictions and direct aid

The Government Of Andalucia will announce a tightening of mobility restrictions on Friday, January 15.

THE president of the community of Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, has put together a series of tougher measures, agreed with the regional government.
After a meeting, late Tuesday night, with the Advisory Committee on high-impact public health alerts in Andalucia, it was decided that ‘new stricter measures that affect mobility and economic activity within the community will, unfortunately, have to be taken’. said Mr Moreno.
It was also suggested that the central government “should start thinking about whether to take a measure such as total confinement” for the whole of Spain.”
Concerned about the rapid spread of the virus in La Linea and the recent surge in cases in Andalucia itself has led the community President to make the decision as, according to reports, he cannot wait the 14 days normally left between announcements to bring in the new restrictions.
The public will have to wait until tomorrow to hear all the details, but the President, when asked, would not rule out total confinement for the region.
The announcement follows news the Andalucia Government is giving direct aid of €1,000 aid to SMEs in commerce, hospitality, crafts and tourism – four of the sectors hit hardest by the Covid pandemic.
The Governing Council plans to distribute slices of a €46.1 million fund to around 46,000 small and medium-sized Andalucian businesses as a matter of urgency.
The crisis cash aid is included in the Support Plan for SMEs and the self-employed which was signed last November between the Junta and the Confederation of Entrepreneurs of Andalucia (CEA), the Association of Self-Employed (ATA) and the Chambers of Commerce.
The aim is to “contribute to the continuity of the business developed by these SMEs, avoiding their definitive cessation and, therefore, job losses”.
“Commercial and artisan establishments, hospitality and tourism intermediation have been severely affected by both national and regional measures for the prevention and containment of the pandemic, which include capacity limitations, closing time and even restrictions on opening or performance of its activity,” said the Junta de Andalucia in a statement.
The authority also highlighted the additional costs small businesses have incurred to cover the cost of installing and implementing health and safety measures in line with the government’s recommendations.
All of these elements have contributed towards “endangering the very survival of these small and medium-sized companies”, said the authority.
The aid will be separated into two lines of subsidies – the first is intended for the retail trade and handicraft sector, and the second will benefit the Andalucian hospitality industry (which includes tourism establishments, travel agencies and catering businesses).

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