What will I be able to do from Monday?

As part of the efforts to de-escalate the coronavirus lockdown, Spanish president Pedro Sánchez announced a new set of measures on Saturday afternoon, aimed at easing the country into the "new normality." 

Phase 0, beginning on Monday, May 4, will see restaurants and cafés reopening, but only allowing people to collect food.

Some businesses such as bookshops, hardware stores, mechanics, and barbers will be allowed to reopen too, but operate only by appointment, and with only one customer served per staff member. There will also be hours of preference given to elderly people. 

All commuters on public transport will be obliged to wear face masks, and the Spanish government is planning on distributing 8.5 million to the population.

Some restrictions on professional sport will also be lifted on Monday. Individual training sessions will be allowed without time limits, and players in professional leagues will be able to train individually in their clubs. Paralympians may be accompanied by others.

Additional information in gazette

In addition to the measures announced on Saturday, more information was provided on Sunday with the pertinent legal notice's publication in the official gazette. Shops, for example, will have to offer their clients hand sanitizer upon their arrival and they will not be able to have testers out on display, while clients will only be allowed to use their bathrooms if "strictly necessary." 

The notice also states that clothing stores that reopen will only be able to have one person at a time in the changing rooms, which will be disinfected after every use. If the person does not buy the items, the store will have to clean them before they are tried on by another client.

Protective screens and counters must be set up at bars and restaurants to ensure people are only served one by one, and all establishments that use fingerprint sensors so their employees can clock in and out will have to use alternative systems.

Lockdown extension and "new normality"

Pedro Sánchez says the state of alarm "has worked" and "continues to be necessary," and that next Wednesday, May 6, the government will request another extension from the Spanish congress.

The Socialist leader unveiled the four-phase plan toward the "new normality" last Tuesday, bringing the country gradually out of total confinement. 

Phase zero will last at least one week, with the other phases lasting at least two weeks, with progression from phases divided by province, and only occurring when each province is ready to move onto the next phase. 

Here, Catalan News provides answers in English to questions you might have on what you can do, where you can go, and when.