Covid: Valencia looks to ease restrictions. Region seeks legal backing ahead of changes

VALENCIA is understood to be looking at relaxing its Covid-19 health restrictions from Monday after the current state of alarm ends.

Proposals are said to include a change in the hours of the night time curfew and allow the hospitality sector longer opening hours in a change to the measures imposed to fight the spread of coronavirus.

President Ximo Puig has continually insisted the regional government must be “prudent” but Valencia will seek Supreme Court approval of the legality of the move before making a definitive statement.

It is thought one change will be moving the start of the curfew back to midnight from the current 10pm start.

And another is easing the closing time of bars, cafes and restaurants. At present, the hospitality sector must close at 10pm. This could be changed to 11pm or 11.30pm.

The curfew became part of daily life last October when the infection rate of covid-19 was five times higher and on the rise. At the end of October 2020, the cumulative incidence of the disease was 230 per 100,000 people; at the moment it is 42 per 100,000.