Puig announces more relaxed restrictions for Fallas

The president of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig, has announced a relaxation of the rules and recommendations established for the celebration of popular festivals in the Valencian Community that aims to make compatible the “maximum health security” with the “greater normality” in the development of the acts that are programmed. Logically its first application will be for the Fallas, which in the Marina Alta are held in Dénia, Pego and Calpe.

This has been explained by the president in an appearance with the regional secretary of Public Health, Isaura Navarro, to explain the general framework of rules and recommendations agreed by the Generalitat for these popular celebrations.

Ximo Puig has announced in this sense that, in accordance with the state regulations, the mask is established as obligatory in mascletaes and other agglomerations in which it is not possible to guarantee the safe distance during the festive events to be held in the Valencian Community.

As explained, in order to make the general framework of health security measures more flexible, the use of masks will not be required in orderly acts where distance can be maintained and, therefore, people participating in parades and offerings will be exempted from its use, but the audience will be required, with the exception of children under 6 years of age.

On the other hand, the festal venues will assume the specific regulations of hospitality and restoration and the tents must have a maximum of two covered sides to be considered non closed spaces.

The president has indicated that these rules and recommendations seek to enable parties to be celebrated “with the maximum possible security”. The aim is to guarantee “safe” and “more normal” Fallas and Magdalena parties, but bearing in mind that the pandemic “continues among us and that we must be prudent”.

The president also specified that next week will be an update of the measures contained in the current resolution of the Ministry of Health, of 8 October 2021, on public health measures and stressed that, if the current trend towards a reduction in contagion continues, the intention is that there should be a “substantial reduction in the existing restrictions”.

In accordance with the agreed rules and recommendations for public holidays, as a general rule, the mandatory use of masks is established in the cases of crowds, and, in addition, its continued use is recommended when circumstances warrant.

In the parades, offerings and cavalcades (and also in the entrances, ofrendas and acts of arcabucería of Moors and Christians), its use will not be required for the participants, but it will be mandatory for the public that can attend, except for children under 6. In the parades, the mask will be mandatory for participants and public, except for children under 6.

As for the usual activities of the festival venues, these will be developed by applying safety measures related to the use of the mask, the maintenance of the safety distance and the correct ventilation of the premises.

Type C venues shall apply the additional measures laid down in the regulations corresponding to the activity for which they are authorised. If activities similar to hospitality and catering are carried out, they must comply with current health regulations.

Meals, lunches and dinners will preferably be held outdoors, by installing tents with a maximum of two sides or in bounded streets after granting a municipal permit. In any case, they will assume the specific regulations of hospitality and restoration at the time of the celebration.