# Valencia region Covid de-escalation begins



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Valencia announces first steps of progressive de-escalation


Bars and restaurant terraces can open until 6.00pm from Monday; maximum four people per table.




www.javeamigos.com







> Ximo Puig, president of the Generalitat Valenciana, has announced details of what he has called a “_cautious and prudent_” de-escalation of the restrictions as the region successfully bends the infection curve of the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic and the cumulative rate drops below the national average to reach levels not recorded since last October.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Yes big news here. However, I dont understand the logic as there will clearly be more contagions as we near semana santa and then it will explode again leading to restrictions again by the summer. Given that they are only now starting on over 80s this week and the shortage of vaccines another wave seems inevitable before the end of the summer


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

kaipa said:


> Yes big news here. However, I dont understand the logic as there will clearly be more contagions as we near semana santa and then it will explode again leading to restrictions again by the summer. Given that they are only now starting on over 80s this week and the shortage of vaccines another wave seems inevitable before the end of the summer


I reckon this will be the status quo until well after Easter. Don't forget that the main tourist destinations still have border closures at weekends, too, stated to continue until after Semana Santa. 

As has happened before, I'm sure that any individual town can still have a temporary border closure too - & also as before, things can always change back again if need be.


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## stevesainty (Jan 7, 2011)

xabiaxica said:


> I reckon this will be the status quo until well after Easter. Don't forget that the main tourist destinations still have border closures at weekends, too, stated to continue until after Semana Santa.
> 
> As has happened before, I'm sure that any individual town can still have a temporary border closure too - & also as before, things can always change back again if need be.


I am not sure what you mean here, the banner posed above says that the perimiter closures will be stopped in the first weekend in March.


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

stevesainty said:


> I am not sure what you mean here, the banner posed above says that the perimiter closures will be stopped in the first weekend in March.


Benidorm will be open for outsiders from next weekend. Planning on going to see the new lights sometime soon.
Will still be stuck in the region though, but its not too bad we can still go out and about.
Bars open till 6pm outside only thats Ok as well. 
Polop has announced it has vaccinated all of the people over 90 and will be starting 80 and over next week.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stevesainty said:


> I am not sure what you mean here, the banner posed above says that the perimiter closures will be stopped in the first weekend in March.


Yes, but in the news conference it was suggested that 'main tourist towns' would be subject to some kind of perimetral closure over Semana Santa.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

stevesainty said:


> I am not sure what you mean here, the banner posed above says that the perimiter closures will be stopped in the first weekend in March.


Doesn't the last box state that the (communidad) borders remain closed. This would, for example, stop people from Madrid going to the Valencian coast at Easter.


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## stevesainty (Jan 7, 2011)

snikpoh said:


> Doesn't the last box state that the (communidad) borders remain closed. This would, for example, stop people from Madrid going to the Valencian coast at Easter.


Yes, but Xabichica initially intimated that the main tourist towns would have perimeter closures at the weekend, whereas the notice stated that the weekend perimeter closures would end after this weekend. She did follow up, though, with some extra information about expected city perimeter closures for the Easter period; this has not yet been posted AFAIK.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

The border to the comunidad remains closed. So people from madrid, or anywhere else cannot enter the comunitat. The only official news so far on individual towns (Valencia, Alicante, benidorm etc) is that the limits are ending.

So you'll be able to go from alicante to benidorm. 

But as xabia said, its possible they will introduce something for semana santa although not announced yet.


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## DonMarco (Nov 20, 2016)

So are we agreed that for the foreseeable future it will be impossible for tourists to drive across Spain?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

DonMarco said:


> So are we agreed that for the foreseeable future it will be impossible for tourists to drive across Spain?


Theoretically...


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## DonMarco (Nov 20, 2016)

And in practice (legally)?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

DonMarco said:


> And in practice (legally)?


In practice EU residents can still come for reasons of tourism, as long as they follow the local rules once they reach their destination.


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## DonMarco (Nov 20, 2016)

xabiaxica said:


> In practice EU residents can still come for reasons of tourism, as long as they follow the local rules once they reach their destination.


Exactly.....if you arrive in Spain via Catalunia, you'll not be able to cross over into any other region by car.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

DonMarco said:


> Exactly.....if you arrive in Spain via Catalunia, you'll not be able to cross over into any other region by car.


In theory. In practice people are & quite legitimately if they have proof of destination.


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## DonMarco (Nov 20, 2016)

xabiaxica said:


> In theory. In practice people are & quite legitimately if they have proof of destination.


So if I enter Catalunia via France as a tourist, I can then drive with the car to my holliday home in Andalucia. I would absolutely like to believe you but would ever so much appreciate a link where that information can be found.🤞


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## DonMarco (Nov 20, 2016)

xabiaxica..............Can I assume that you have nothing further to add.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

My cousin has just spent six months in Portugal and is now driving through Spain to get the car ferry back to England. She was stopped at a checkpoint yesterday and given the all-clear, just had to show her passport.


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## DonMarco (Nov 20, 2016)

Alcalaina said:


> My cousin has just spent six months in Portugal and is now driving through Spain to get the car ferry back to England. She was stopped at a checkpoint yesterday and given the all-clear, just had to show her passport.


Is her place of permanent residency possibly the UK or wherevever the ferry was heading?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

DonMarco said:


> xabiaxica..............Can I assume that you have nothing further to add.


Never assume...









Spain: closed to domestic tourism but open to Europeans


While regional borders remain largely sealed, 274,242 foreign travelers arrived in January thanks to different rules adopted by central and regional authorities




english.elpais.com


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Hotels in Valencia see ‘massive’ spike in summer bookings as Britons prepare to leave lockdown
According to the industry association Hosbec, Spain’s Mediterranean region has received more reservations from UK holidaymakers this week than in the ‘history of tourism’
Hotels in Valencia see ‘massive’ spike in summer bookings as Britons prepare to leave lockdown


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Well if booked package deals they will get refunds if they cant travel but it doesn't mean it will all go ahead. Still a way to go before Spain can safely say the summer is open and of course the UK needs to lift its border quarantines which it has not really mentioned


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## DonMarco (Nov 20, 2016)

xabiaxica said:


> Never assume...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thats excatly what I'm planning to do but as a tourist (and without a spacial reason) I will be restricted to remain in the region I arrive in by plane. I'd prefer to drive from Catalunia to Andalucia but at present (as a tourist without a special reason) its not possible.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

*COVID restrictions 15 March to 12 April 2021.*

• *HOSPITALITY* until 6pm. Terraces open to 100% capacity. Indoors to 30%. Open until 6pm. Max 4 to a table. No change to bar service restriction.
• *SPORTS FACILITIES including SWIMMING POOLS.* Up to 30% capacity.
• *MEETING FRIENDS.* We can meet in groups of up to 4 people with whom we don’t live. Still no visitors allowed in the home.
• *EDUCATIONAL LEISURE.* A maximum of 10 people or 30% of capacity (whichever is the lower)
•* CEREMONIES.* Up to 33% capacity. A maximum of 20 people for outdoor ceremonies, 15 indoors.
• *CURFEW.* Still 10pm to 6am. The Valencian Community border remains closed.
• *SHOPS.* Non-essential businesses can now open until 8pm.


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## DonMarco (Nov 20, 2016)

The continued Regional border closure is bad news for me xabiaxica. At the moment right up unto middle of April. Any views on this board as to when they might open along the coast of easter Spain?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

DonMarco said:


> The continued Regional border closure is bad news for me xabiaxica. At the moment right up unto middle of April. Any views on this board as to when they might open along the coast of easter Spain?


The view is that Christmas opening of regional borders led to a massive third wave in January, so they want to avoid the repeat for Easter. Regional borders will only open if the experts think it's safe, with falling infection and rising vaccination rates. I think it will be from May onwards.


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## DonMarco (Nov 20, 2016)

Joppa said:


> The view is that Christmas opening of regional borders led to a massive third wave in January, so they want to avoid the repeat for Easter. Regional borders will only open if the experts think it's safe, with falling infection and rising vaccination rates. I think it will be from May onwards.


Thats my feeling as well. They will be under great preassure to open for the tourist season.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

DonMarco said:


> The continued Regional border closure is bad news for me xabiaxica. At the moment right up unto middle of April. Any views on this board as to when they might open along the coast of easter Spain?


No idea. I suspect until the current State of Alarm ends in May at the very least, although yesterday the Health Minister said that she hasn't ruled out a continuation of that until the entire country reaches an IA figure of 50/100.000

Remember, while a State of Alarm is in place, the individual comunidades have control of their borders, & what goes on inside them (up to a point just short of locking us into our homes again)









Darias no descarta ampliar el estado de alarma más allá de mayo pero "el objetivo" ahora es llegar a 50 de incidencia


Todo dependerá, ha recalcado la titular de Sanidad, del "comportamiento ejemplar de la ciudadanía".




www.heraldo.es


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