Catalonia lockdown for communities

The regional government approved measures on Monday which will prevent people moving between municipalities – a ‘perimetral lockdown’ – and force the closure of shopping malls at the traditional start of the winter sales for shoppers, with only essential shops opening their doors at weekends.

The move comes as the region’s health data worsens; the all-important R number, which measures the speed of transmission of coronavirus rose from 1.11 on Sunday to 1.27 on Monday. Pressure on hospitals is also increasing – 2,084 patients are currently receiving treatment with 392 of them in intensive care beds.

Health chiefs said it was necessary to bring the spread of the virus under control, saying it was not just necessary to ‘slow the virus but to stop it’.

Shopping centres will close, other stores can open provided they are no bigger than 400m2, but all non-essential businesses will be closed at weekends to avoid crowds.

The regional government approved measures on Monday which will prevent people moving between municipalities – a ‘perimetral lockdown’ – and force the closure of shopping malls at the traditional start of the winter sales for shoppers, with only essential shops opening their doors at weekends.

The move comes as the region’s health data worsens; the all-important R number, which measures the speed of transmission of coronavirus rose from 1.11 on Sunday to 1.27 on Monday. Pressure on hospitals is also increasing – 2,084 patients are currently receiving treatment with 392 of them in intensive care beds.

Health chiefs said it was necessary to bring the spread of the virus under control, saying it was not just necessary to ‘slow the virus but to stop it’.

Shopping centres will close, other stores can open provided they are no bigger than 400m2, but all non-essential businesses will be closed at weekends to avoid crowds.