Health Department to propose that bars, culture and sports can reopen on Monday
Bars and restaurants to open from 6 am to 5 pm and with a maximum capacity of 30% inside and outside
BarcelonaAccording to a Department of Health draft that will be analysed in a government meeting on Thursday, gradual de-escalation will occur in four phases. As advanced by RAC1 and confirmed by ARA, the Health Department will propose that from Monday bars and restaurants can open, but with limited capacity (30% both outside and inside, as long as they have good natural or artificial ventilation- and with limited opening times: between 6 am and 5 pm.
The proposal, which could still be modified, also includes the reopening of cultural facilities for up to 600 people, with a maximum of 50% capacity. Outdoor sports facilities will be allowed to reopen too, with capacity also reduced by half. These including swimming pools, even if they are in closed facilities. However, activities will only be allowed in groups of six at most, except in federated sports.
As for the rest of the measures, the de-escalation plan foresees maintaining the curfew from 22 to 6 in the morning, the weekend local lockdown and the closure of all Catalan borders. In addition, trade will continue with restrictions: a 30% maximum capacity and in establishments of less than 800 m2.
The forecast of the Health Department is that each stage lasts 15 days. The first would begin on Monday 23 and the second, which would apply from 8 December, provides for an increase in capacity and a closure by "comarcas" (counties), rather than by municipalities, during the weekends. This is the proposal that the Health Department will put forward on Thursday, which has to be approved in a government meeting.
Pressure from restaurateurs
The plan comes after thye hospitality sector proposed a roadmap for the government to begin progressive de-escalation, as advanced by La Vanguardia and confirmed by the ACN. The plan agreed by five federations and guilds of restoration of Catalonia -which was passed on to the Minister of Enterprise, Ramon Tremosa- provides that bars and restaurants can open until 23 h, starting Monday, with a capacity of 30% expandable to 50% if they can maintain the safety distance of one and a half meters between the tables.
Likewise, the document agreed by five federations and guilds of restoration of Catalonia also provides for safety measures such as a requirement to ensure ventilation, a temperature control at the entrance and recording personal data. If accepted, the use of masks between dishes would also be recommended and a maximum of six people per group would be maintained.
A week ago, the guild held an event in Barcelona with gastronomic leaders to demand the reopening of the sector in which some of the proposals to resume the activity were already outlined.
