ARCHIVED - Andalusian government plans to close beaches in Covid hot-spots

Andalusia has an accumulated 14-day rate of 312 cases, lower than the national average which has soared to 469 in the last month

The health authorities in the Andalusia region have suggested closing parks, postponing large-scale events, closing beaches and limiting times when alcohol can be sold in municipalities with high coronavirus incidence rates.

With Covid-19 cases climbing at a worrying rate in Andalusia, the regional authorities are once again having to seek ways to toe the fine line between public health and safety and the economy.

Unsurprisingly, as the summer holidays have begun in force, tourists from near and far have headed south in search of a much-needed break and students have finished their exams and started their holidays, the accumulated incidence rates are worsening by the day.

While the authorities, of course, want to do everything that they can to avoid further spread of the virus, pressure from tourism and hospitality-related sectors particularly means they cannot just bring back past restrictions such as perimeter closures.

With this in mind, the head of the regional Health Department, Jesús Aguirre, sat down on Wednesday with the Andalusian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FAMP) to propose a series of measures for towns with 14-day accumulated incidences rates of more than 1,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants ( the regional average is 312).

Some measures are common sense, such as delimiting public places where citizens cannot maintain at least 1.5 metres from others and must therefore wear their masks, cracking down on street-drinking parties or ‘botellones’ and ensuring that regulations regarding social gatherings, capacity limits and distances are followed.

Others, however, are bound to be more controversial and spark complaints, as the regional authorities wish to limit how late shops are allowed to sell alcohol, close parks and gardens, postpone large-scale events until the situation improves and close the beaches.

All measures will be maintained for at least seven days, and situations in the municipalities affected will be closely monitored by the public health authorities to determine how effective they are and tweak them accordingly, as the situation changes, Sr Aguirre explained.