Spain

[MRex]

Their number of cases keep on rising, It looks really concerning now. Have they actually lost control of the outbreaks, as they keep putting bigger areas into lockdown again, or is it genuinely localised? Will UK and other European countries close borders with them soon like France has?

Nightclubs are not open anywhere near me. Or bars, in the evening.

Why do people think nightclubs are open?

It is being reported in the media as mainly due to bars and nightclubs

New rules imposed across the Catalunya region. Nightclubs not allowed to open.

France have encouraged people not to cross the border into Spain.

Was meant to be driving down in August. Think we are definitely not now.

@BillieEilish see above link. A poster was saying that masks must not work as Spanish cases were rising. I pointed out the source of one of the biggest clusters was a nightclub attended by hundreds of people 14 days ago. Maybe they have since closed but as we all know the true effects become known two weeks or more after the event.

@Orangeblossom78, maybe 2 weeks ago somewhere a nightclub opened, certainly not here. And not anywhere now.

Much much stricter rules here. It changes on a two weekly basis according to where you are.

I wouldn't be travelling here if I was in the UK. Not because it's worse here, it isn't. Because I don't think you can imagine in the UK what it is like. You could be caught in a proper lockdown.

@Lovewithalampost, I get you now! It is just here, it is a two week rotation of rules. Something two weeks ago (which in itself seems extremely unusual) would not be in place now.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/24/europe-warns-of-need-for-vigilance-as-covid-19-cases-rise-sharply

Not just Spain, but Germany and Belgium also

Everyone happily wears facemasks. Just pictures of tourists not wearing them in our papers.

You can't enter a shop without a facemask.

No we wont be travelling down. Would hate to think we could spread it or bring it home.

I would imagine there isn't much notice of a proper lockdown either.

Hope it gets under control soon, for Spain and everywhere.

@HairyFloppins good plan, really. You'll get a few hours notice, if that. earlier this year i and DD were separated from DH a few miles away in holiday flat/let for 3 months! He didn't have time to get back.

@MRex

I’ve seen other have posted maps, but I’ll add this one which shows all of the regional outbreaks as of today. Red spots are active outbreaks and grey spots are outbreaks which have been contained and are now inactive.

All along the coast then where the tourists are? Costa del sol etc, Algarve, makes sense really

I can't believe your DH couldn't get back from 3 miles away. We could travel anywhere here really. Really shocking the difference in lockdowns.

@HairyFloppins

I think masks may provide a false sense of security and people maybe not tend to social distance as much.

Or more likely people can't hear each other talking whilst wearing a mask so stand close to hear!

We were due to go to Malaga last weekend. I was upset when we thought we couldn't go back in March. Then by the beginning of July we decided we would. Then the airline decided we couldn't by cancelling our flight. I was peeved but now seeing this I'm relieved again.
I do think its worse in the UK but it wouldn't have been a relaxing break. My friend living there said it still like a ghost town and many seasonal businesses are cutting their losses and remaining closed for the year.

My family live in a village in Catalonia (Reus area). Outbreak of 15 cases and rising, traced to a family owned restaurant where one of the extended family is visiting from Romania.

Or more likely people can't hear each other talking whilst wearing a mask so stand close to hear!

Probably. My dd works in a supermarket and today was the first day of masking and this is exactly what happened to her multiple times today from customers.

I find it outstanding that there are so many people joining the queue to apportion blame regarding who is or isn't responsible for the rise in numbers here in Spain.
In U.K. we have always been a few weeks behind throughout the pandemic but instead of looking for examples of how U.K. could prepare suddenly we look at other countries and think 'that would never happen here'.
Not joined up thinking.
When is the U.K. going to wake up and smell the coffee.

What is happening locally in Spain will be reflected elsewhere in the coming weeks.
Yet in Spain the reaction to outbreaks is immediate and thorough. I've yet to experience the same in England.
Cases are rising in Spain but on what planet do you think England has the high ground?
I know where I feel safer. To give you a clue it's not in a country that has daily death rates in the hundreds.
Come to Spain, don't come to Spain, I don't care. But don't think for one minute that's UK government has it all under control.
Incidentally I know a policy writer for this Tory government and can tell you they don't care about you. That's the difference, here in Spain there is still such a thing as 'society'

Be the same here once the summer season gets fully underway. Every cottage and holiday park is sold out so the main tourist areas will be swamped with people.

Spain’s population is lower than uk so overall death rates will be lower overall

Plus Spain are not including care home where diagnosis isn’t confirmed so figured ate wholy inaccurate

Spain has R value of over 2 in many northern regions - uk panic when it hits 1!

Spain is obviously in much dire position than us right now but that’s not to say it won’t happen here - it’s us few weeks from now

My Barcelona holiday for next week was thankfully cancelled today as will many others as there’s been reports 70% Spanish holidays been cancelled
Thus holidays of those still wanting to go will likely also be cancelled due to low numbers.

3 friends due to fly Spain next week all had theirs cancelled too last day or so due to low bookings

@drivinmecrazy brilliant post. Totally agree.

@HairyFloppins yep! announcement at around 11pm at night, by 11am next morning game over!

I have a lovely villa with a pool a few miles away, couldn't get near it for 4 months. DD was locked up in a flat with me for that time without going out. No fresh air at all.

I feel very safe though, now and then.

Spain is not in a 'much dire position' than the UK

Not at all.

Hopefulhalf - Mallorca has very few cases. I wouldn’t worry. The issue will be if the whole of Spain is removed from the UK ‘safe corridor’ which will I believe invalidate most travel insurance. Absent that, risk is low.

It won't invalidate travel insurance : only if you go against any FCO advice. What it will mean is the people struggling to get money back for pre Covid booked holidays might actually stand a chance of being able to.