Since the beginning of May, the coronavirus lockdown in Catalonia and Spain has gradually been eased under a scaled de-escalation process. The plan was originally divided into four phases, and all territories in the Spanish state were to pass through all four of these stages before reaching a new status quo - from Phase 0 (preparation) to Phase 3 (advanced) - and then on to the "new normality". This plan has been adjusted as it has progressed, and by mid-June, with all of Spain in Phase 3 or already in the "new normality", the management of the health emergency has been returned to Spain's autonomous regions. As of June 19th, Catalonia has taken control of this process for Catalan territory under a "resumption phase."
Up till now, every week, Spain's autonomous communities have made proposals to the Spanish health ministry on which phase they believed each part of their territory should be in, and the ministry in Madrid had the final say on whether the proposals were granted or not. At the end of the week there was an announcement on which regions would change phase and which would not. These changes took effect on the Monday after they were announced.
In theory, each phase was to last a minimum of two weeks, intended to be long enough so that any effects would be seen in coronavirus case numbers before the territory moved to the next phase. Phase changes were decided on the basis of indicators such as health capacity, epidemiological situation and mobility and socio-economic data of each region.
The maps of Catalonia and Spain below show the latest phases announced for each territory. The first map is divided by Catalonia's nine health regions; the second by Spanish provinces. If you're not sure which Catalan health region your municipality belongs to, the Catalan health service website provides this page.
A cross-hatched pattern means that a province or a health area is further subdivided, with some parts in one phase and other parts in a different phase. Again, for cross-hatched areas on the map of Catalonia, you can check the name of your municipality to find out which phase you are in, here.
Phase 0 and "0.5"
- Going for walks and practicing non-professional sports are permitted according to time slots
- Shops of <400m2 may open with 30% of their normal maximum capacity, without customers needing to make prior appointments
- Bars and restaurants may open for take-away orders only
- Museums and libraries can open, with some limitations
- Vigils and wakes can be held with up to 15 people present outdoors, and 10 if indoors
- Religious centres may re-open for services with to up to one third of normal maximum capacity
- Face masks must be worn in public places by everyone aged six and over (with some exceptions)
Phase 1
- Going for walks and practicing non-professional sports are permitted according to time slots (in municipalities of <10,000 inhabitants, no time slots are required)
- Meetings or gatherings of up to 10 people are allowed in homes and outside
- Bar terraces can open at 50% of their normal maximum capacity
- Travel within the province itself is allowed (including to second residences). In the case of Catalonia, travel is limited to within the health region you are in.
- Shops of <400m2 may open with 30% of their normal maximum capacity, without customers needing to make prior appointments
- Outdoor markets may open with 25% of their stalls and up to one third capacity of their normal maximum capacity
- Cultural shows may take place for up to 30 people, if indoors, and 200, if outdoors
- Car dealers, vehicle roadworthiness (ITV) centres and garden centres may open
- Sport at elite level and for federated professionals can begin
- In-person service can be given at public social-health centres
- Hotels and tourist accommodation may reopen but common areas may not be used
- Sport hunting and fishing is allowed
- Face masks must be worn in public places by everyone aged six and over (with some exceptions)
Phase 2
- Going for walks is permitted for people under 70 at any time of day (except for two time slots limited to those over 70)
- Meetings or gatherings of up to 15 people are allowed; up to 20 for active or nature tourism; and up to 50 for conferences or business meetings
- Visits are allowed to visit elderly relatives and people with disabilities in residences (with some conditions)
- Travel within the province itself is allowed (including to second residences). In the case of Catalonia, travel is limited to within the health region you are in.
- All shops may open with 40% of their normal maximum capacity (the common areas of shopping centers are limited to 30% of normal maximum capacity)
- Outdoor markets may open with one third of their stalls
- Bars and restaurants may open their interior spaces with up to 40% of normal maximum capacity, and terraces, limited to 50% of normal maximum.
- Hotels and tourist accommodation may allow use of common areas at up to 30% of normal maximum capacity
- Outdoor concerts may take place, with public maintaining safe distancing, and limited to one third of normal maximum capacity (a maximum of 400 people)
- Swimming pools may reopen at 30% of normal maximum capacity, and beaches may open maintaining distances of 2 metres
- Professional sports competitions may take place behind closed doors and the sports centres for general use may open with appointments being required
- Religious centres can increase their numbers to to 50% of normal maximum capacity, and weddings of up to 100 people may be held outside and up to 50 inside
- Vigils and wakes for up to 25 people may be held outdoors and up to 15 if indoors
- Face masks must be worn in public places by everyone aged six and over (with some exceptions)
Phase 3
- Total elimination of timeslots to go for walks and practice sports
- Gatherings permitted for up to 20 people, or up to 30 for "active and nature tourism" and up to 80 in the case of conferences or business meetings
- Terraces of bars and restaurants may open to 75% of capacity, and seats at the bar (ie, the counter) is allowed, maintaining safety distances
- Mobility is permitted within the health region (in the case of Catalonia, among all health regions)
- All shops may open at 50% of their normal maximum capacity
- Hotels and tourist accommodation may use common spaces at up to 50% of normal maximum capacity
- Nightclubs may open at one third of normal maximum capacity (but without use of the dancefloor, except as a space for tables)
- Cinemas and theatres may open to 50% of normal maximum capacity
- Sport in indoor spaces is permitted individually or for two people as long as there is no physical contact
- Outdoor leisure activities for children are allowed with a maximum of 200 participants, and indoors with a maximum of 80
- Vigils and wakes for up to 50 people may be held outdoors and up to 25 if indoors
- Weddings (up to 75% of normal maximum capacity of venue), outdoors for up to 150 people and indoors for 75
- Face masks must be worn in public places by everyone aged six and over (with some exceptions)
- Autonomous communities regain their powers in health, which are no longer centralized by the Spanish government
New normality (to continue indefinitely, until a vaccine is developed)
- Face masks must be worn in public places by everyone aged six and over (with some exceptions). Fines of up to € 100 for failure to comply
- Safety distances of at least 1.5 metres to be maintained in public
- End of restrictions on movement between territories
Resumption phase (in the case of Catalonia)
- Regulated by the Catalan government
- Face masks must be worn in public places by everyone aged six and over (with some exceptions). Fines of up to € 100 for failure to comply
- Safety distance must be maintained of at least 1.5 metres between people, with an area of 2.5 square metres per person (as a rule of thumb for calculating capacity of spaces and layouts)50
- Until 25th, 50% of normal maximum capacity allowed in enclosed spaces and 75% in open spaces
- End of restrictions on movement between territories
- Opening of children's playgrounds
- Events in enclosed spaces of up to 1,000 people allowed, up to 2,000 people if they have a pre-assigned seat, and in open spaces of up to 2,000 people and up to 3,000 with a pre-assigned seat
MAP | Coronavirus infections in Catalonia by municipalities and neighborhoods
GRAPHS & DATA | Latest coronavirus statistics for Catalonia and Spain