Balearic Islands To Shut All Bars And Restaurants Due To Covid

The Balearic Islands will close all bars and restaurants for two weeks following an alarming rise in Covid-19 cases in the Spanish archipelago.

The Balearic regional government raised the alarm level from 3 to the maximum 4 on 11th January.

Message sent by the government of the Balearic Island about the new measures. (@GovernIllesBalears/Newsflash)

The changes, which include the closure of all bars and restaurants in Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera, will come into effect on 12th January and will last for at least a fortnight.

Other measures include the closure of shops over 700 square metres (7,535 sq ft) apart from supermarkets, the closure of small businesses at 8pm and their reduction to 30 percent capacity, and the closure of gyms and spas.

The rise in Covid-19 cases in the islands has been described as “alarming” and the virus is now believed to be spreading 10 times faster than at the beginning of the pandemic.

On 10th January, 530 new positive cases were reported in the archipelago, bringing the total number of regional cases to 40,825.

Around 10 percent of tests being carried out on the islands are currently resulting positive for Covid-19, and 9,608 people are being treated for the virus.

The total number of deaths due to Covid-19 in the Balearic Islands currently stands at 489.

Local restaurant owner Victor Sanchez told local media that politicians “logically have to put health first, but have ignored the fact that without an economy many will go unhealthy.

“What can be done? Many things: emergency funding, for example. Ask for last year’s turnover and 75 percent pay like they’ve done in Germany,” he suggested.

“But you have to have the political will to do it,” he added.