Spain will start easing lockdown restrictions starting Monday, the country’s Health Minister and a top aide were announced Thursday.
“From Monday, around 70% of the population of Spain, or 32 million people will be in phase two. About 30% of the population or 15 million people will be in phase one and 45,000 people will be in phase three,” Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa said at a press conference.
At the beginning of this week, more than half the population was still in a tighter phase one.
Parts of Castilla, Valencia, Catalonia, Murcia, Andalucia and Castilla and Leon will move to phase two, which allows the meeting of up to 15 people who don’t live together, some indoor restaurant services, and the opening of shops, theaters and museums but with occupancy limits .
Four small islands in the Spanish Balearic Islands and Canary Islands with small populations and low risk of infection will increase to phase three, with further restrictions on movement and reduced encounters.
“The data is good, we are on a good path, but I must insist: it is very important to know this is a very complex phase and to maintain an attitude of individual responsibility because mistakes can endanger everything we do so far,” Illa added.
The Madrid region, which includes the capital of Spain and surrounding cities, will remain in phase one without change, health officials explained.
“All of this evolution is due to the efforts made by the population and the health system to control this epidemic,” said Dr. Fernando Simón, director of the Spanish Center for Health Emergencyities.
Simón also told reporters that “minor reappearances” had been identified very quickly and were being closely monitored by local authorities to “avoid new outbreaks and maintain this favorable trend.”
