Catalonia wants to extend covid restrictions for 15 more days

The Catalan government wants to extend restrictions for another fortnight, until January 21. This Tuesday, it will approve at its weekly meeting the covid commission's proposal to extend the measures in force since December 24 and originally ending January 7.

It is not the only measure that has been agreed within the commission to address the increase in infections and hospital admissions that are pushing the health network to the limit. In addition, the curfew will also be applied in Alcarràs, Castell-Platja d'Aro, Cunit, El Vendrell, Mont-roig del Camp, Salt, Torroella de Montgrí and Vilanova i la Geltrú, all of which are towns where the number of infections has increased during the Christmas holidays.

However, as always where restriction of rights related to freedom of movement is concerned, Catalonia's High Court will have to rule on the extension. Health authorities hope the current epidemiological evolution will be reversed thanks to the reduction of social interaction.

At this point three quarters of Catalans live under the 1 am to 6 am curfew. It affects towns with over 10,000 inhabitants with an accumulated incidence over 7 days higher than 250 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In addition, there is a 10-person limit on gatherings and limits on capacity in restaurants, bars, gyms and shops throughout Catalonia. Nightclubs remain closed, while the capacity of concert halls, theatres, cinemas, auditoriums and circuses with a tent will be 70%, a percentage that also applies to funeral parlours, funerals and other ceremonies.