The Catalan government is preparing to decree perimeter closure measures, as an additional measure against the resurgent coronavirus pandemic in Catalonia. As Generalitat sources confirmed to ElNacional.cat, the new restrictions will be announced on Thursday and could take effect this Friday. The question is, at what level will boundaries be closed? The tightest possible option - requiring everyone to stay in their own municipality - has not been ruled out.
Meanwhile, there are no plans to eliminate any of the other restrictions already in place, such as the closure of bars and restaurants, and all new options to curb the rise of contagion remain on the table.
Slowing the second wave
Stay-at-home lockdowns, either as a "circuit breaker" for two weeks, or regularly at weekends, are two other options being considered by the Procicat committee and the Catalan health authorities. However, the Spanish health minister, Salvador Illa, noted this Wednesday in an interview on Catalan public television that the current legal arrangements of Spain's state of alarm "do not allow stay-at-home lockdowns for a day, two days or for weekends".
Spanish minister Salvador Illa and Catalan counterpart Alba Vergés meet to finalize of new state of alarm measures in Catalonia / Department of Health
Illa also explained that, in last Monday's meeting with the Catalan health head Alba Vergés, the Catalan minister had already conveyed the possibility of moving to "stricter measures" if there was no improvement, but without any specifics. In addition, he also has no “formal request” from the Catalan government to carry out a stay-at-home lockdown. "There is a range of options before we get to this point. We should be able to avoid it, without being able to rule it out," he said.
The Covid situation, "unsustainable" in Catalonia
"The situation will continue to be critical until we are able to make a decisive turning point," Catalan public health secretary Marc Ramentol predicted on Tuesday. The Catalan health department warned that the pressure on hospitals will increase in the coming days. “The healthcare system cannot withstand this continued growth of infections,” Ramentol warned. There are currently at least 368 [Covid-19] patients in Catalan ICUs, 46% of the total. For now, however, the Catalan health service has not called for generalised cancellations of regular and scheduled activity in hospitals.
The secretary recalled that "we are not in a situation where we can de-escalate" because "the epidemic is still growing in Catalonia", although he stressed that "preliminary data indicates that the closure of bars and restaurants is having a decceleration effect".