Coronavirus news

Government ruling out a curfew in the Balearics - for now

President reiterates that the Balearics are a safe destination

Government measures are expected to be announced soon. | Miquel À. Cañellas

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma16/07/2021 12:11

On Friday, President Armengol asked for there not to be speculation about the possible reintroduction of a curfew. Armengol said that the government and the health ministry are studying measures and that these will be made known next week. It is a mistake, she stressed, for all opinion to be about serious measures that "affect the Balearic population".

It is understood that the government is, for now at any rate, ruling out a curfew. It would be a measure of "last resort". Limitations on social gatherings may well be one of the measures that will be brought back.

The president accepted that the increase in infections is worrying, but she was confident that the tourism season, "which has started well", will last for many weeks. The current wave of infections "has nothing to do" with previous ones. This is because of vaccination and also because the increase in infections is not translating, for the moment, into pressure on hospitals. The situation in hospitals is "well controlled". Neither the wards nor intensive care units are being overstretched.

She reiterated the need to look beyond the cumulative incidence and at the health and hospital care that the Balearic Islands have as a tourist destination. Despite decisions by the UK and Dutch governments, she emphasised that mobility is "being maintained" because of the Covid certificate and that the islands are "an absolutely safe destination".

Also in News

Disputed purchase of an old Palma glass factory ends in defeat for a member of the Porsche family

Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright back in their favourite place: Mallorca

One of the key reasons behind the anti-mass tourism protests this year was the lack of affordable housing which has been blamed on property speculation by foreign investors.

The end of the Golden Visa for Mallorca

Forest in the Balearics has increased, but so have the risks

2 comments

To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in

Steve | over 3 years ago

Sorry, but the regional government have failed in my opinion. Can Armengol quantify what is meant by safe? A message to Armengol... The tourism industry needs a tourist season lasting months, not weeks, please wake up! There was an opportunity to get it right this year to better safeguard tourism next year and for future years.

Answer

I like it0

I don't like it0

Tom | over 3 years ago

By the time Armengol finally act s properly Balearics will be having 2000 new cases a day ! While she still announces today its safe some 5000 covid cases and rapidly counting are overwhelming the hospitals system ! Well noting there only about 1800 hospital beds on the islands. She is trying to stall the inevitable! And save the economic summer after which in Sept mallorcans will have to endure months of heavy restrictions again to get the numbers back down again. Its a repeat of what she did last year and ps being fully vaccinated does not protect you 100% . See uk medical news where in the uk more and more fully vaccinated people are being admitted to hospital catching covid regardless ! The reasonable solution in controlling the unlimited mass tourism currently is to limit the amount of landings and take offs as the problem starts with 20 pound flights to mallorca ! Reduce the amount of people coming in and out is a first step as its obvious curfews etc currently are not legally applicable .