Catalonia extends 10pm curfew for two more weeks

Catalonia has extended the 10pm-6am curfew for a further two weeks, and the measure will now last until November 23 if it is not extended again. 

The restriction was one of the various moves authorities made late last month in an attempt to halt the spread of Covid-19, which also included the closure of bars and restaurants and limiting capacity in shops.

After 10pm, people must be back in their own homes, unless for justifiable reasons such as work, getting medical assistance, or looking after a dependent person. 

Catalan health minister, Alba Vergés, announced the curfew would be extended on Thursday morning in an interview with Ràdio 4 and afterwards in a press conference.  

The restrictions imposed in the past few weeks are having an effect on the trend of the pandemic, as the transmission rate fell below 1 for the first time in a month, and other metrics are gradually moving in a positive direction too.

Yet, pressure in hospitals is still high and is not expected to reduce for another few weeks – ICUs bed occupancy is currently at 85%, and demand would exceed 100% if the number of intensive care units had not been increased from 575 to 1,000 beds in the past few months. A total of 485 people suffering from Covid-19 are using ICUs.  

According to Adrià Comella, director of the Catalan health service, medical centres are filling up, as at the moment roughly 10-12 more people are hospitalised each day than the amount discharged.