Court backs government in Spanish students 'Covid hotel' case

In late June, a court in Palma ruled that the government had to allow students who had been placed in the hotel (and who were not positive at the time) to leave the hotel. They had been confined after the huge outbreak of cases among students in Arenal. These were all students from different parts of the mainland who were on end-of-course holidays in Mallorca.

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The high court has taken a different view to that of the lower court. A key aspect of the case was that the health ministry defined students as close contacts of known positive cases. In the high court's view, considering those "who had participated in or were participating in end-of-year trips in Mallorca as close contacts was based on the conclusion of an epidemiological technician's report of June 24, endorsed by subsequent reports".

Consequently, the high court says, "none of the measures adopted by the administration could have been rejected ... there having been no possible alternative".