COVID-19

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce a second national lockdown for England as the UK passes one million COVID-19 cases. Non-essential shops and hospitality will close for one month in a second lockdown, government sources have told the BBC. The lockdown is also expected to include restrictions on travel and is due to come into force on Thursday next week.. It will until 2nd December. Unlike the first […]

Murcia's leading hospitality association says eating at 8pm could save 12,000 jobs due to an early curfew. An 11pm curfew might seem a reasonable time for northern European countries – but in Spain, supper is only just getting started. Now Murcia's leading hospitality association (Hostemur) has warned the restrictive measures – an hour earlier than in the Valencian Community – could mean the loss of 12,000 jobs. "With the curfew […]

The Valencian Community has closed territorial borders and announced extra restrictions in 31 municipalities from today. Elche's Hospital del Vinalopó is at the centre of the Valencian Community's second wave of COVID-19 infections. Hospital data shows its Intensive Care Unit (UCI) was at 115% of its capacity for critical coronavirus patients on Wednesday. The hospital has now added extra beds – installed back in March – to avoid the collapse […]

A Spanish-Swiss study has suggested a COVID-19 mutation that occurred among seasonal workers in northern Spain in June could be behind 40-90% of Europe's second wave infections. Spain could be the origin of Europe's second wave of COVID-19 this winter after researchers traced a significant mutation back to the Iberian Peninsula. The study – which has not yet been peer-reviewed – suggested the mutation occurred in June and could have […]

Cataluña's Mossos d'Esquadra police force are training 400 abandoned dogs to detect COVID-19 in humans. Spain is the latest country to use sniffer dogs to detect coronavirus in passengers at international airports. Dogs are already working at airports in Chile, Finland, Dubai, France, Germany and UK – results from Helsinki's pilot scheme show a dog can detect COVID-19 in its surroundings within 10 seconds. The difference with a new scheme […]

The decree announcing a frontier closure has been published today in the Diari Oficial de la Generalitat Valenciana (DOGV) - official document here. At 12pm midday today (Friday) the Valencian Community will close its territorial borders with Cataluña, Aragón, Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia. The border closure will be in place for for seven days. (Read about Valencian Community president Ximo Puig's TV announcement and reasons for the closure in our […]

On Friday at midday the Valencian Community will close its borders for seven days – 31 municipalities get extra restrictions. The president of the Valencian Community, Ximo Puig, has announced the closure of territorial borders in a TV briefing this evening. Residents may still move anywhere within the autonomous community, but after 12pm midday tomorrow, Friday, they may not leave without justified cause. REMINDER: The Valencian Community comprises the three […]

Alicante has announced a special COVID-19 unit of 100 agents will patrol the 'rule of six' and curfews this bank holiday weekend. The harsh measures implemented in Spain's Valencian Community have put an end to any hope of traditional Halloween parties this long weekend. The provinces of Alicante, Valencia and Castellón received special guidelines last Saturday to reduce any reunion – public or private – to maximum six people, while […]

Spain's Congress of Deputies voted 194 v 53 in favour of a state of alarm until May 2021, with 99 abstentions. Spain's second state of alarm – published in the BOE last Sunday – will remain until at least May next year. Unlike the previous state of alarm (14th March - 20th June), this second state of alarm to fight the COVID-19 pandemic will not be reviewed every two weeks. […]