Decree extends land border closures until December 9th

As expected, a Presidential Decree 18/2020, published on Thursday 19th November 2020, has extended the restrictions on the entry and exit of people in and out of the Comunidad Valenciana until Wednesday 9th December. This measure was originally put in place on November 5th as a result of the ongoing health crisis caused by COVID-19.

The Decree states that the current epidemiological situation in the region has forced the regional government to extend the restrictions in order to continue curbing the spread of infection which continues in some areas of the Comunidad Valenciana.

The first article of the Decree confirms that the restrictions will remain in place until 11.59pm on Wednesday 9th December, the extension coming into force at midday today Friday 20th November.

The restrictions currently in place are:

• Border Closures
  The land borders of the Comunidad Valenciana are closed, except for justified reasons, such as work, studying, medical appointments, and care of the elderly and dependent people. This has been extended to December 9th.
• Night-Time Curfew
  A curfew restricts movement throughout the Comunidad Valenciana between the hours of midnight and 6.00am; it remains in place until December 9th. In addition, all municipal parks and gardens will be closed from 8.00pm until 8.30am the following morning.
• Social Gatherings
  The maximum number of people who can meet in social or family gatherings, in public or private spaces, is limited to six people.
• Capacity Limitations
  Since November 7th, shop capacities have been reduced to 50% of licensed occupancy, bars and restaurants to 30% indoor and 50% on outside terraces, and wakes and ceremonies to one-third of licensed occupancy of venue.
• Elda and Petrer
  The towns of Elda and Petrer remain closed for another two weeks from midnight tonight (Friday 20th November).

Puig warns of restrictions at Christmas

Ximo Puig, president of the Generalitat Valenciana, has warned that there are likely to be restrictions over the Christmas period in the Comunidad Valenciana and recommends that Christmas shopping be brought forward to avoid crowds in shops.

Although the decision of what measures to be taken won’t be addressed until the end of the current restrictive measures on December 9th, the president has admitted that he doesn’t think that there will be a widespread relaxation of measures.

“You cannot take hasty decisions, but we will not be able to celebrate as usual, although today nothing can be confirmed yet as we must wait for the evaluation of the next few weeks. But we have to appreciate that there are not going to be the usual parties. We will have to celebrate in another way, although the important thing is the feeling and not the way of expressing it.”

He added that he hoped that any measures taken over the Christmas period would have the “understanding and support of the public” and that there will be a general agreement across the country on how to organize the Christmas festive period.

Earlier this week, Health Minister Ana Barceló had already announced that the Generalitat will have to study what measures can be implemented and the recommendations that will have to be given with regards to social and family gatherings over the Christmas period to avoid the transmission of COVID-19 and having the prospect of emerging from the festive period in “an uncontrolled situation” because health measures were not maintained.

Friday 20th November 2020, 1.00pm MGS