Large parts of the Madrid region should be isolated as soon as possible due to the resurgence of the corona virus, says Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa. “We have to listen to what scientists are saying. We have to look at the facts and act now.”
According to the minister, about seventy percent of the ‘health zones’ in and around Madrid. 4.7 million people live in the area. Illa made his decision after consultation with the Spanish states.
The ruling of the Social Democratic minister exposes a conflict with the center-right government of the Madrid region. That is afraid of the economic consequences of a new lockdown in and around the capital and does not want to go that far.
The final decision on closing off neighborhoods rests with the Spanish federal states, in this case with the Madrid regional council. Only in extreme cases can the national government overcome this by declaring a state of emergency, as happened last spring.
Million Madrilenians in lockdown
Yesterday, the Madrid regional government decided to close another 8 neighborhoods, in addition to the 37 zones that were previously closed. As a result, more than a million people in Madrid are now facing a new lockdown.
This means that residents are urged to stay at home as much as possible. People are allowed to go outside to work or to go to school, shops, or health centers. In cafés it is forbidden to stand at the bar, on terraces the number of seats must be reduced by half. Public parks and playgrounds will be closed.
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