The Spanish government has accepted the proposal for metropolitan Barcelona to further ease its coronavirus lockdown conditions even though it doesn't qualify for Phase 1 of the Sánchez government's four-phase deescalation process. In fact, the Spanish health ministry has also decided to apply the same principal to the other areas of the Spanish state which still aren't ready for Phase 1 - that is, the Community of Madrid, and parts of Castilla y León.
Here are the details of this intermediate status as requested by the Catalan health department. It's been labelled "Phase 0.5" informally but is still officially known as Phase 0. Some aspects may be subject to amendment when the Spanish ministerial order publishes the final version this Saturday.
What's allowed under the new "Phase 0.5"?
- Retail premises of less than 400 square metres can open without customers making a prior appointment. The maximum number of people permitted inside will be 30% of their normal capacity, and a minimum safety distance of two metres between people must be maintained. Preferential opening hours for thsoe over 70 years old will be provided. The premises must be disinfected twice a day.
- Outdoor street markets in public places can open, under special conditions of distance between stalls and delimitation of the street market by areas to enable adequate control of capacity by security staff. Municipal authorities will determine the opening conditions.
- Funeral wakes or vigils for a limited number of relatives in public or private facilities are allowed: up to fifteen people outdoors or ten indoors.
- Places of worship will be able to open, although only one-third of their normal capacity will be allowed.
- Libraries can open for lending books.
- Museums can open with up to one third of their maximum capacity.
- Social services offices can open.
- Schools can open to carry out disinfection and administrative tasks.
- Symposiums with a maximum of 30 people can take place.
- Sports facilities can open for individual use by professional athletes. Not gymasiums.
What's not allowed under "Phase 0.5" (but will be allowed under Phase 1)?
- NO to meetings of up to 10 people inside and outside the home.
- NO to the opening of terraces of bars and restaurants at 50% of their capacity.
- NO to the opening of hotels.
- NO to cultural events for up to 30 people indoors or 200 outdoors
To find out which Catalan health region a municipality belongs to, and which phase of the process it is in, the Catalan health service website provides this page.
MAP | Coronavirus infections in Catalonia by municipalities and neighborhoods
GRAPHS & DATA | Latest coronavirus statistics for Catalonia and Spain