Measures to combat Covid-19 in Barcelona
Given the surge in the number of cases of COVID-19, the Spanish government has declared a state of emergency (ES) so that Spain’s regional governments can adopt the necessary measures for containing the pandemic.
In this context, the Government of Catalonia has initiated a plan for resuming activities, agreed with the various sectors.
The Catalan government is the authority responsible for adopting, abolishing, amending and implementing measures to prevent infections. Under the new Catalan Territorial Civil Protection Plan (PROCICAT), at the metropolitan level, municipalities in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area are working together with the Catalan government to contain outbreaks.
Barcelona City Council has been playing a key role in the management of the healthcare and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and has been working hard with its finances and resources to offer city residents all the services, aid and protective measures they need in these truly exceptional times.
-
Social gatherings with a maximum of 6 people (bubble groups)
-
You may not be in the street between 10 pm and 6 am
-
Municipal lockdown, from Friday to Monday
-
Shops operating at 30% capacity. Shopping Centres closed
-
Cinemas, theatres, concert halls and museums, at 50% audience and visitor capacities
-
Bars and restaurants open from 6 am to 9.30 pm
Christmas and New Year
Family and social gatherings
- These are limited to a maximum of 10 people, including young children, from two different households or bubbles. The recommendation is for the two households or bubbles always to be the same ones.
- Contact with people you do not have regular contact with should be avoided, for instance friends or relatives who live far away.
- People are advised to keep journeys to a minimum and only travel within the local area.
Safety measures for gatherings and meals
- Maintain physical distance.
- Hand hygiene.
- Wear a face mask at all times when not eating or drinking.
- Ventilate rooms during and after gatherings.
- Open-air spaces or large rooms are the best option.
- No sharing of utensils.
- Aim to converse in a calm tone of voice.
- If you smoke, keep your distance from others, and if possible do so outside.
- Take extra care in the seven days preceding gatherings.
- Stay at home if you have symptoms, have received a positive diagnosis, or have been in contact with someone infected with COVID-19.
How late can I stay out?
- On Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve: curfew starts at 1.30 am.
- Twelfth Night: curfew starts at 11 pm.
- All other days: curfew is from 10 pm to 6 am.
Bars and restaurants
- On 24, 25, 26 and 31 December and 1 January: maximum occupancy will be 6 people per table or group of tables.
- Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve: open until 1 am.
- All other days: open from 6 am to 9.30 pm. Maximum of 4 people per table, with 2 metres between tables.
- Occupancy must be adjusted in accordance with the rules applicable at each stage.
Commerce
- Twelfth Night: shops can open until 10 pm.
- Try to do your shopping in advance to avoid crowding.
- Use local shops where possible.
Visits with relatives living in care homes
- Residents in care homes will be able to leave to go to family gatherings on 24, 25, 26 and 31 December, and on 1, 5 and 6 January.
Worship
- We recommend attending local places of worship, and where possible to attend online services.
- Limits on capacity will be maintained in line with stipulations for each stage: 30% in stages 1 and 2 and 50% in stage 3.
Last updated 03/11/2020
Gradual resumption of activities
We are in phase one of the progressive opening of activities
Restrictions and recommendations in force
Restrictions on people entering and leaving
- No one may enter or leave Catalonia
- No one may enter or leave their residential municipality during weekends, from 6 am Friday to 6 am Monday
- Exceptions include to do individual outdoor sports activities between municipal boundaries and journeys to catch a flight, including during night restrictions
Mobility restrictions
- The night-time mobility is banned from 10 pm to 6 am.
- Mobility is allowed for people returning home from educational centres and permitted cultural activities and to collect food from restaurants and bars.
- Anyone who has to travel for reasons of force majeure must take along a personal-responsibility certificate.
- It is recommended that journeys outside the home should be limited as much as possible, along with the use of public thoroughfares.
Limiting social gatherings
- Social gatherings are limited to a maximum of six people, both in public areas and in private.
- When these meetings are held in public spaces, the consumption of food or beverages is not permitted.
- Smoking is banned on public streets and squares, whenever the two-metre social distance between individuals cannot be maintained
Promoting teleworking
- Worker mobility needs to be limited as much as possible, remote work has to be enabled and flexible working hours encouraged.
Bars and restaurants
- Reopening of bars and restaurants from 6 am to 9:30 pm. Bar terraces: with a safety distance of two metres between tables and a maximum of four people per table (except for bubble groups). Inside bars and restaurants: at 30% of customer capacity and with greater ventilation.
- Food and drink must always be consumed at tables.
- Table service can only continue until 9:30 pm. After that time, the only services permitted are for customers to collect takeaways from the establishment until 10 pm, and home deliveries until 11 pm.
Last updated 24/11/2020
Commerce and consumption
- Shops, service activities and 24-hour shops may only open from 6 am to 9 pm.
- Customer capacity is limited to 30%.
- Shopping centres may not open, except for supermarkets, shops offering basic services and cultural facilities in the centre, as well as shops that have street entrances.
- Beauty centres and hairdressers may open, with services by appointment, along with activities that involve close personal contact.
Public transport
- Public transport will maintain 100% of their services.
Last updated 02/11/2020
Cultural activities and facilities
- Cinemas, theatres, auditoriums and concert halls open with 50% capacity, up to a maximum of 500 people.
- Museums, libraries, archives and exhibition venues still open, with a maximum capacity of 50%.
Last updated 23/11/2020
Sports activities
- Reopening of outdoor sports facilities and swimming pools, with a user capacity of 50%.
- Reopening of gyms and other indoor sports facilities, with user capacity at 30% and adequate ventilation, always by prior appointment.
- The postponement of all non-professional competitions remains in force.
Civic facilities
- No face-to-face civic or community activities are allowed in civic facilities. except for exhibitions with 33% of capacity.
- Exempted from this are programmes and activities involving social-educational intervention, educational recreation and free-time education in children’s and adolescents’ leisure and youth-support programmes, as well as social and personal intervention activities, such as soup kitchens, hairdressing and podiatry.
- Activities are suspended for children's centres, play libraries, study rooms, youth organisations and youth centres, as well as facilities for the elderly.
Last updated 02/11/2020
Recreational activities
- Parks, amusement parks and establishments offering private children's leisure activities in enclosed spaces are closed to the public.
- Public parks and gardens may be used until 8 pm.
- Amusement arcades, casinos and bingo halls will be closed to the public.
- The holding of big annual festivals is suspended.
Last updated 02/11/2020
Education
- 100% attendance for infant schools, primary schools and compulsory secondary education is maintained.
- For baccalaureate courses, vocational training and specially regulated teaching (music, dance, visual arts and design, performing arts, sports instruction and higher artistic education), adult education centres and official language schools, in-person attendance has been reduced.
- At universities, theory classes will remain in a virtual format, except for practicals and evaluations.
- In-person, out-of-school activities outside of school hours, inside or outside the educational centre, with a maximum of six people.
Night-time leisure
- Nightclubs, dance halls and entertainment venues, as well all venues with a dance floor that play music, will continue to be closed to the public.
Last updated 02/11/2020
Religious and civil ceremonies
- Places are limited to 30% of capacity.
Last updated 24/11/2020
Penalties
In order to tackle the health crisis caused by Covid-19, the project for Decree Law 30/2020Decree Law 30/2020. (CA), of 4 August, approved by the government, establishes three types of infringements for non-compliance with health and prevention measures, along with their respective penalties.
Share in social networks
What should i do if i have symptoms of COVID-19
If you’ve got Covid-19 symptoms or you’ve been in contact with somebody diagnosed with it, get in touch with your primary healthcare centre or call 061 (freephone number).. Stay at home and isolate yourself from all other householders.
And remember that the main measures for slowing down the transmission of the virus are: maintain a safety distance, wash your hands, use a facemask, reduce social contact as far as possible and avoid crowds.
If you have a condition which puts you at risk, take extra care with your precautions.
