Can I drive to another town within Catalonia? Are supermarkets open? Can I meet up with friends?
In response to the Catalan government's request to impose a lockdown - restrictions on movement and activities - across the whole of Catalonia in order to stop the propagation of the coronavirus, the Catalan government's Civil Protection department has provided a list of FAQs with answers to many practical questions the public may have. Below is El Nacional's translation to English of the questions and answers. These are being updated on an ongoing basis by Civil Protection.
Most of these restrictions came into force on Saturday 14th March. This updated version of the questions and answers is from Sunday 15th March (9am), and takes into account the limitations also imposed right across the Spanish state by the Spanish government starting Sunday 15th March.
Questions about Restrictions on Activities due to Covid-19 in Catalonia (updated to 15/03/2020 9:00h)
1. Is it possible to enter or leave a town?
Mobility is limited to certain activities: to obtain food and essential pharmacy goods, to go to the bank (ie cash machines), to travel to your workplace, to return to your usual place of residence, to care for children/minors, the elderly and others who are especially vulnerable.
All activities of these types must be carried out individually, except for accompanying people with disabilities or for another justifiable reason. In addition, the lockdown in Igualada, Òdena, Santa Margarida de Montbui and Vilanova del Camí is still in place, with checkpoints to prevent entering and leaving, except for essential services.
2. Will grocery stores, supermarkets and similar shops be open?
Yes, as an essential service.
3. Are supplies to grocery stores and supermarkets assured?
Yes, food distribution is considered an essential service and the arrival of basic products is coordinated with distribution platforms.
4. Can people go out to the street and go shopping?
Only for your regular purchases, and you must avoid any crowds. You must only stay in the store for the minimum time necessary and essential to make the purchase you need. The Catalan health ministry recommends maintaining a minimum distance of 1- 2 metres between people.
5. Can I meet up with people in the street?
No. Going outside on to the street is limited to the activities described above, which do not include meeting people.
6. Can I take children to the park?
No
7. Can I go to see my relative / friend / neighbour at their home?
Only in the case of people who are vulnerable or dependent. Also, to collect children/minors from the homes of their other parent/guardian, for shared parental custody and similar cases.
8. Can I visit my dependent relatives?
Yes, to ensure they have the care they need.
9. I am a dependent person. Can the person who assists me come?
Yes, that forms part of the essential services that are allowed.
10. Can I go to a wake/vigil at a funeral centre?
Yes, but always following the measures to avoid crowding and maintaining the required distances between people. However, funeral vigils are not permitted in cases where the death is due to COVID-19.
11. Can I take my pet for a walk?
A person individually can take a pet for a walk.
12. Can I go to bars and restaurants?
They are closed for the next 15 days from March 14th.
13. Can I go to the movies or theatre?
They are closed for the next 15 days from March 14th.
14. Can I go to the gym or sports facilities?
All sports centres and gyms are closed, and sports events have been cancelled for the next 15 days from March 14th.
15. Are libraries/museums/civic centres open? Can I go there?
They are closed for 15 days from March 14th.
16. Will shopping centres be open?
They are closed for 15 days from March 14th.
17. Can shops in general open, if not covered in the previous point?
Only food and beverages stores, pharmacies, doctors, stores for optical and orthopaedic products, hygiene products, hairdressers, press and stationery stores, petrol and fuel stations, tobacconists, IT and telecommunications equipment stores, pet food sellers, businesses through internet, phone or correspondence, dry cleaners and laundries.
18. I have a medical appointment. Can I go to it?
All non-urgent appointments are being postponed.
19. I have an appointment for rehabilitation. Can I go to it?
All non-urgent appointments are being postponed.
20. Is public transport running?
Yes, but with alterations to services and maximum occupancy allowed, depending on transport type, with the aim of avoiding crowding. Check in detail with the service provider.
21. Can I go to the municipal council to deal with paperwork (pay fines, taxes, etc)?
Before you go, consult with the council whether you can do the task by telematic means or postpone it. Administrative processing deadlines have been suspended (the next 15 days will not be counted as part of the period allowed for any bureaucratic formalities)
22. Is there a centralized information telephone?
For information, call 012; for health symptoms advice, call 061. The emergency number is 112, but you should never call it just for information.
23. Is the mobility of the emergency services guaranteed?
Yes.
24. What is considered an essential service?
Security and emergencies, health, prison services, social services, services to senior citizen residential centres, electricity, drinking water, wastewater, water purification services, fuels, gas, telecommunications, urban and industrial waste, sanitary waste, health and pharmacy supplies, food distribution for people, food distribution for farms and animal centres, live animals (transport and veterinary services) and slaughterhouses.
25. What are the highest risk groups?
The Catalan health ministry defines the highest risk groups as the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, heart or lung diseases, or problems with their immune systems.
ElNacional.cat translation of a document issued on 15th March 9am by CECAT, Civil Protection Operations Coordination Centre for Catalonia, under the Catalan interior ministry. The original document in Catalan can be found here. Check the relevant page of the Civil Protection website here .