COVID-19

Insurance company Mapfre has estimated that the Spanish economy will contract by up to 10.7% this year due to the coronavirus crisis. This would lead to unemployment rates of between 18 and 23.5%, according to Mapfre’s calculations. Meanwhile the president of the Spanish Trade Confederation (CEC), Pedro Campo, has warned that between 20 and 30% of small businesses will close by summer if they do not receive aid from the […]

The government is working on a draft ministerial order that will come into force next week allowing parents to take their children out for the first time since the state of alarm was declared on March 14. Under the latest regulations being considered, one parent would be able to go out with as many as three children, travel up to one kilometer from home and children would be allowed to […]

The cabinet has approved more measures to support workers and businesses struggling under the stringent coronavirus restrictions. The package includes an extension of unemployment benefits and modifications to the tax code that should free up 1.1 billion euros to support small businesses and the self-employed. The cabinet also said children under the age of 14, who were previously barred from leaving home under any circumstances, may accompany parents on essential […]

Spain already has one of the world’s highest death tolls from the coronavirus pandemic. But data indicating the true number of fatalities could be much higher is fueling public anger and could cause problems for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s fragile government. Spain’s total deaths rose to 20,852 yesterdayday. But the figure fails to account for those who were more than likely killed by the virus but never tested. Fernando Simon, […]

Like many of you, the Embassy and Consulates are currently working from home and therefore are unable to run their usual type of Facebook Live Q&A session. However, they are conscious that many of you will have questions about what the current crisis means for you – perhaps for your residency or access to healthcare – or maybe you are just confused about the restrictions during the state of emergency. […]

The country’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose by 410 yesterday, down from 565 on Saturday, the lowest daily increase in around a month, the total number of deaths reached 20,453. The daily increase was the lowest since March 22. It is far below the highest daily increase - 950 deaths reported on April 2 - in a sign of a slowdown of the spread of the virus after […]

The number of people with coronavirus who have died in Spain has passed 20,000. The health authorities reported 565 further coronavirus related fatalities a slight fall on the previous day's figure of 585. It brings the total to 20,043, while the number of infections has passed 190,000. Only the United States and Italy have had more COVID-19 deaths. In Spain, infections have risen to 191,726 compared with the previous tally […]

Economic activity in Spain has fallen in the first three months of 2020 compared to the same period last year. An examination carried out by Imperial College Business School, University of Cambridge and University of Edinburgh of 1.4 billion credit and debit card transactions during the first three months of 2020, shows that spending in post-lockdown was on average 49 percent lower than the same date the previous year. The […]

Officially, Spain’s death toll, which remains among the world’s highest, is closing in on 20,000. But there is evidence that it could be far higher, with many deaths, especially those in nursing homes, not properly classified as stemming from coronavirus. PM Pedro Sánchez and other officials reject accusations from opposition politicians accusing the fragile coalition government of intentionally underreporting Covid-19 fatalities, but the authorities have now begun a recount, trying […]