The plan to reopen the Canary Islands - Proposed by the local government

Published on April 24, 2020
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The regional government will present today the plan to complete the quarantine, which will be proposed to President Sánchez on Sunday; it would come into effect on April 27th, with shops opening and allowing the elderly to go out in the morning and the minors in the afternoon.

The President of the Canary Islands Government, Ángel Víctor Torres, and the spokesperson for the Scientific Committee that advises the Canary Islands Health Emergency Management Committee, Lluis Serra, will present today the document for ending the lockdown, which would allow the residents of the Canaries to go out on the streets again and companies to resume their activity. The plan would be implemented on a four weeks period, accounting for different phases.  

These measures would begin on April 27th, if they are approved by Pedro Sanchez.

GOING OUT ON THE STREETS

The local government proposes as general lines that citizens in the archipelago can take to the streets in stages: on even days, those who reside in properties with an even number, and on odd days the ones who live in proprieties with an odd number. (according to CanariasAhora.com)

A maximum of three people would be allowed together: it could be an adult and two companions, or all members of family groups of legal age as long as they live together.

People would need to take this rule into consideration when requesting prior appointments to attend medical consultations or with dentists, ophthalmologists, veterinarians, etc.

WHEN YOU CAN GO OUT 

In addition to this rule regarding on which days you can go out depending on your house number, the hours when you can go out would also depend on your age. In this way, the Canary Islands proposes that older people can go outside between 11.00 and 13.00.

Kids under 14 years of age could leave the house between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. In this situation, the national regulations announced yesterday by the national government include the departure time between 9:00 and 21:00; for one hour a day, once at most and up to a kilometer away; children can go to parks but not play in the children's activities area (swings, slides, etc.), and in rural areas, the parents can take them for a walk in the fields or forests. 

EXERCISING OUTSIDE

The plan also establishes two time frames to be able to exercise outdoor. The first will be between 5.00 and 9.00 am, while the second time slot for outdoor sports would be between 20.00 and 23.00 pm.

As the spokesman for the Scientific Advisory Committee had already announced, the professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Ulpgc) Lluis Serra Majem, people would be allowed to walk a maximum distance of two kilometers from their home, at which is added that it will be allowed to run up to a radius of four kilometers from the house. In relation to hiking activities, they cannot exceed one hour. It is necessary to maintain the physical distances recommended by the authorities.

As Serra also announced, access to second residences will be allowed in order to take care of the gardens and animals, but the journey would have to take less than an hour and be done individually.

The document appeals to the “common sense” of the population of the archipelago, with recommendations for avoiding contact of minors with grandparents, who are a risk population; the authorities also strongly recommend citizens to use masks in general, especially in closed spaces.

SHOPS AND BUSINESSES

Small businesses would be able to reopen their doors, with limited capacity, in the first phase, which could be next week. This could also mean beauty salons and hairdressers.

In the second stage, the shopping centers will be allowed to reopen,  and also gyms, but with some restrictions.  

The Executive also appreciates that in this phase they can begin to open some tourist establishments and hotel accommodation, although at half capacity.

During the third phase or week, the Committee of experts proposes the opening of restaurants, always people would have to go with prior reservation, no more than four at the same table, and with the establishments working only at half capacity. 

Beaches would also be reopened during the third phase.

TRAVEL TO THE CANARY ISLANDS

In the fourth phase or week, inter-insular trips would be allowed, both by air and by sea.

As for the arrival of travelers or tourists from both the peninsula and foreign destinations, it is estimated they will return only at the end of summer or in the last quarter of the year.

There will be access controls at both ports and airports, and the tourists would be asked to show a negative test result for coronavirus infection taken with a maximum of four days before departure from their places of origin. If they do not possess such a test, they must remain in quarantine on the island for 14 days.

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