Girona and Central Catalonia progress to de-escalation Phase 3 as Barcelona stays put

The Girona and Central Catalonia health regions will progress to de-escalation Phase 3 next Monday, June 15.

This was confirmed by Spain’s health minister, Salvador Illa, on Friday afternoon, who accepted the proposal put forth by Catalan authorities.

Girona and Central Catalonia will join the Tarragona, Ebre river and western Catalan Pyrenees health regions in the last stage of the lockdown easing scheme.

Meanwhile, Barcelona, its metropolitan area and Lleida health regions will stay in Phase 2 for another week after all after the Catalan government decided not to request a move. This comes despite the efforts by the capital’s local council and its restaurants to progress to Phase 3.

This includes the Garraf and Alt Penedès counties, which had been one step ahead for weeks but will remain in the Barcelona health region from now on.

Yet, the Catalan health department will consider proposing a phase progression for these regions before next weekend. The state of alarm comes to an end on June 21.

From Monday, travel between health regions in the last stage of the lockdown easing scheme will be permitted, meaning that going anywhere within Catalonia will be possible, except to, from or through Lleida and Barcelona.