Easter restrictions: regional borders shut, curfew, gatherings limited to 4 indoors, 6 outside

Regional borders within Spain will remain shut over the Easter holidays, the curfew will remain in place, and public gatherings will be limited to four people indoors or six people outside. Private gatherings are not allowed except among people co-habiting.

These restrictions will be in force from March 26 to April 9, and were announced by the Spanish health minister, Carolina Darias, on Wednesday evening following a meeting of regional health chiefs.

Catalonia abstained from the vote and laments that indoor gatherings will be reduced to four people, according to sources within the Catalan health department. Catalonia advocated keeping the current limit of six individuals, which they say "has worked."

The same sources explained that the Catalan delegation regretted that the Spanish government "only wants to take action during the holidays" and is "only moving" to clamp down on the regional government of Madrid, which has had chosen to implement fewer and less restrictive measures.

Curfew and travel restrictions

The Spanish health minister said that the curfew would be in place from 11pm until 6am, but that regional governments had the option of extending this, so Catalonia's current 10pm to 6am curfew could well remain in place.

Catalonia did agree with the decision to maintain the current travel restrictions preventing travel between the regions – or autonomous communities – of Spain, limiting journeys, for example, between Catalonia and neighboring Aragon.

Easing of restrictions within Catalonia on the table

Some of the current anti-Covid restrictions within Catalonia could be given the green light to be lifted on Thursday, including the travel restrictions on leaving one's county of residence and the rule that larger non-essential shops must remain closed at weekends.

The Catalan government spokesperson, Meritxell Budó, said on Tuesday that all indications pointed to the county lockdown being "lifted very soon," as long as the current trend continues when it comes to the epidemiological data.