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Madrid imposes new restrictions on daily life to combat coronavirus second wave

The Local Spain
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Madrid imposes new restrictions on daily life to combat coronavirus second wave
Photo: AFP

Regional authorities in Madrid will impose new restrictions on daily life in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus in the Spanish capital. Here's what you need to know.

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The new measures will be in place from Monday and will be in place for at least 15 days, announced the regional premier Isabel Díaz Ayuso.

Limits will be placed on group gatherings with no more than 10 people allowed to gather socially, not just in public places but also in private homes.

While occupation will be reduced to 50 percent in bars inside and on terraces, people must be seated at least 1.5metres apart from each other.  

Occupation is also reduced from 75 to 60 percent capacity at places of worship and at funerals, weddings and communions.

And from 75 percent to 60 percent at casinos, betting shops, sports centres, zoos and theme parks

The restrictions also limit guided tours to ten people.

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The exact measures will be published in the Official Gazette on Monday. 

Madrid’s health authority said it would once again prepare hotels to be converted into medical centres for the treatment of coronavirus patients in case they were needed to relieve pressure on the capital’s hospitals.

The region will also double the number of people trained to act as “tracers” to identify those at risk after being exposed to someone newly diagnosed with covid-19 from the current 566 to 1,100.

It will also purchase 2 million antigen tests which can provide results within 15 minutes.  

The measures were announced after a day that saw 2,859 new cases diagnosed  across the Madrid región and 23 deaths attributed to covid-19.

The move to impose restrictions came amid mounting pressure from authorities in Castilla-La Mancha, and Castilla y León,those regions bordering Madrid which blame outbreaks in their territories on those travelling from the capital.

But Madrid has stopped short of ordering a perimeter confinement of the capital arguing that it wouldn’t be “appropriate” at this moment in time.

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