More Lockdowns In Madrid But Not Enough Says Government

The Madrid regional government have announced today that it will extend the number of ” basic health areas” affected by mobility restrictions from the present 37  areas to 45.

The measures were announced by regional deputy health chief Antonio Zapatero who said it was aimed at “stopping the spread of the coronavirus” in the region.

The Ministry of Health figures released yesterday show an additional 10,653 new cases in Spain.

Madrid has the highest incidence rate of Covid-19 in Spain, with 746.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants followed by 658.8 for Navarra, 466.9 for La Rioja and Castilla-La Mancha with 416.8 compared to a national rate of 283.4 per 100,000 inhabitants.

However the  Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa called on all areas with coronavirus rates of above 500 per 100,000 to be restricted which would include bringing in restrictions for the whole of the Madrid region.

A region wide lockdown is being resisted by the regional government but Zapatero did recommend against any “non-essential travel.” whilst the Madrid regional premier  Isabel Diaz Ayuso tweeted that the measures were “adequate”.

The Madrid regional governement´s guidelines are for restrictions to be triggered once the rate exceeds 1,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

The  eight new areas affected restrictions which all have rates above the 1,000 limit include Panaderas (Fuenlabrada); Miguel Servet and Doctor Tueta (Alcorcón); García Noblejas, Vicálvaro-Artilleros, Orcasitas, Campo de la Paloma and Rafael Alberti (Madrid city).

The total number of inhabitants affected by the measures are over 1,000,000 people representing 20% of the Madrid autonomous region.

Residents in the 45 affected areas are only be able to leave for essential activities such as going to school or work, or to care for dependents. Furthermore capacity for shops, bars and restaurants is set at no more than 50%  with a closing time at 10pm.

All green spaces and parks are also closed in the affected areas.

The central government are providing additional resources including the deployment of 7,500 military personnel in the region to enforce the restrictions.

To date Spain has recorded 704,000 coronavirus cases of whom 31,118 have resulted in death.