Updated July 19, 2021.
Photo by Mònica Moreno courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0).
On July 12, 2021, following a severe spike in COVID-19 cases, the Catalan government put in place new measures in an effort to reduce the spread of the virus. In the first week of July, 25,738 cases of COVID-19 were detected in Catalunya and hospital admissions increased over 30%. Experts have attributed the spike in cases among young people to the Delta variant, which is more infectious. As a result, the Catalan government has imposed new restrictions.
Authorities continue to urge people to limit their social interactions, not to travel beyond their towns or cities of residence and to work from home whenever possible. While face masks are not required outdoors when social distancing is possible, the government strongly urges people to wear them at all times.
Indoor Nightclubs Closed
All indoor nightlife venues are to remain closed until at least July 26 in an effort to curb the surge in cases among young adults. Nightclubs that have outdoor spaces and festivals that are scheduled outdoors during this period will be permitted to continue to operate until 12:30 a.m. and the new regulations require that all attendees must be seated. Those that wish to attend events with over 500 people must either take an antigen test, a PCR test or be fully vaccinated.
Reopened just recently on June 21, 2021, the decision to close nightlife venues on July 6, 2021 follows a crushing 15 month closure of the sector, which has been one of the worst affected by the pandemic.
Restaurants and Bars
Interior capacity remains capped at 50% for bars and restaurants with no limit on outdoor seating. Opening times have been slightly modified with businesses allowed open from 6:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Up to six people may be seated together indoors and up to 10 may sit together outdoors. Face masks must continue to be worn when not eating or drinking.
Social Gatherings
Because Spain’s Supreme Court ruled in June that limiting private social gatherings is an encroachment on a fundamental freedom, the Generalitat requested permission from the Catalan High Court to again limit social gatherings to 10 people.
On Wednesday, July 14, the court approved the measure and as of Thursday, July 15, social gatherings are limited throughout Catalunya to 10 people.
When entertaining at home in an enclosed space, the authorities emphasize the importance of choosing large, well ventilated spaces and of keeping the windows and doors open as much as possible.
Extracurricular activities like unregulated training, educational activities and school sports are permitted. Gyms and sports facilities can have an indoor capacity of 70% and may remain open until 12:30 am.
Mobility
There are currently no mobility restrictions in place. People are free to travel throughout Catalunya and between the autonomous communities. However, authorities strongly urge people to limit their travel whenever possible.
Curfew
On Friday, July 16 the Catalan high Court approved a curfew for cities that have a population of 5,000 or more and have an incidence rate that exceeds 400 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people. The curfew is from 1:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. and affects 161 municipalities in the region. The curfew will be in place until July 23, but it is likely that it will be extended.
The Mask Mandate
The law regarding the national mask mandate (Real Decreto-ley 13/2021, de 24 de junio) was published in the BOE on June 25 and went into effect on Saturday, June 26.
The most significant change to the law is that face masks are no longer required outdoors provided that you are able to maintain a distance of 1.5 meters between people.
However, because of the significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, the Catalan government is asking that everyone wear masks at all times, even when not mandated.
Face Masks Are Still Required Under the Following Circumstances:
- When entering indoor spaces for public use, such as shops, markets, museums, theaters, etc.
- Any time you are outdoors and cannot maintain a 1.5 meter distance from others.
- When attending outdoor events with large crowds, such as concerts (unless there is seating that is separated by 1.5 meters).
- When using public transport, face masks must be worn at all times in all areas, including stations and platforms.
- When traveling by car if occupants are not all from the same household.
Non-compliance with the regulations can result in hefty fines. Minor infringements, such as not wearing a face mask when required, or wearing a face mask incorrectly, carry a fine of €100. Sharing alcoholic beverages in public spaces (the famous botellon) can result in fines of up to €3,000. Serious infringements, which are defined as creating risk of infection for between 15 and 150 people, will be fined from €3,001 to €60,000. Very serious infringements, which put more than 150 at risk of infection, may lead to fines of between €60,001 and €600,000.
The above outlined regulations will remain in effect through July 23, 2021, with the possibility to extend them.
If you're looking for more information about the easing of restrictions check out the Generalitat de Catalunya’s website or the Barcelona City Council website.
Updated July 19, 2021.