Spanish court on Thursday authorized the imposition of night-time traffic restrictions in most of the region of Catalonia (northeast) to stop the explosion of COVID-19 cases. On the other hand, wearing a mask outdoors is becoming mandatory throughout the country.
The Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) has announced that it authorizes “measures requested” by the Catalan executive, which also include closing nightclubs and limiting private meetings to a maximum of 10 people.
Because the measure affects fundamental freedoms, the separatist-led autonomous government has had to demand a green light from the judiciary in order to impose this ban from 1:00 to 6:00 in the morning in all cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants where the incidence exceeds 250 of cases per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days, in practice, all this at present.
These restrictions will apply from Thursday night to Friday for an initial period of 15 days in one of the most populous regions in Spain and the most touristy in Europe.
Of the 17 autonomous regions in Spain, Catalonia is the one that advocates the most restrictive measures to deal with the explosion of COVID-19 cases caused by the appearance of the new Omicron variant.
Mask, mandatory outdoors throughout the country
The court’s decision was announced as the central government passed a decree on Thursday morning making it mandatory to wear masks outside the country again, which set a new record of 60,041 cases in 24 hours on Wednesday.
The obligation to wear a mask, which will take effect on Friday and which the executive wants “temporary”, will not be aimed at sports or people alone – or those surrounded by family – “in a natural space”, such as “in the mountains” or at the beach “, the health minister, Carolina Darias, detailed during a press conference on Thursday.
The return of wearing the mask outdoors was the most concrete measure announced on Wednesday after an extraordinary meeting between the government of the socialist Pedro Sanchez and the representatives of the 17 regions (autonomous communities no.) Of the country, the only ones competent in health, notes AFP.
These measures have multiplied in Spain, one of the world champions in vaccination, but faced – like many other countries – with a new wave of cases amid the spread of the Omicron variant, which is much more contagious.
The incidence was 784 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days on Wednesday night, about four times more than on December 1.
However, this new wave – the 6th in Spain – remains less severe than the previous one, while 15.7% of intensive care units are occupied by patients with COVID, compared to 30% in mid-January 2021, according to figures Ministry of Health.
Editor : B.P.
