The Catalan government has lifted the coronavirus lockdown which had been in force for the last 15 days in the western Catalonia city of Lleida and the municipalities of the Baix Segre county: Alcarràs, Soses, Seròs, Aitona, La Granja d’Escarp and Torres de Segre. However, a set of less-restrictive measures is being put into place in the region.
"We can say today that these measures are working," said Catalan health minister Alba Vergés in a joint appearance with government spokesperson Meritxell Budó. The Procicat civil protection committee today approved the new regime of eased measures, which include the opening of shops, restaurants and bars at 50% of their normal capacity, as well as travel between municipalities.
The new restrictions in Lleida and the Baix Segre
The new Procicat restrictions will take effect from this Thursday at 4pm and will be in force for another 15 days. One of the measures they eliminate is the perimeter confinement that existed in these seven municipalities.
As for commercial premises, capacity restrictions are set at 50% of normal maximum, and theatres and cinemas will also be able to open at up to half of their normal capacity. Bar and restaurant establishments will be able to open terraces at 50% of capacity as long as safety distances are respected, and they also have to close at 12 midnight.
Meetings with more than 10 people are prohibited, both in private and public spheres. Religious events and ceremonies can be held at a third of the normal capacity of the space.
Bar terraces have been closed in Lleida since July 15. / Europa Press
The state of the virus in Lleida
"We have been able to stabilize the curve, but we can't relax because the pressure on health care is still very high," added minister Vergés. According to the health service, the number of new infections in the last week has been 704, whereas there were about 1,000 in the previous week. However, there are 189 people hospitalised with Covid-19, and 23 of these are in intensive care.
Vergés assessed that "the situation is not good" and that, according to the scale presented yesterday by the Catalan government (below), Lleida and the Baix Segre municipalities are at level 4, with level 5 the most serious situation. Level 4 is described as "uncontrolled community transmission with significant impact on hospital care".