Coronavirus

[markwilding]

This is the case for everybody. A couple of weeks ago I had never worn one either. it really isn't such a big deal. I would say that the wearing of masks will stay for a while.

I'm sure as with all things, people will be informed of the legal requirement. For tourists I can't see any other time they will need to be worn other than if you cannot maintain a distance of two metres or in public enclosed places.

I don't think anyone was wearing them on the beach or the terrace bars I visited on Saturday and hardly anyone had one on at the picnic area i was at on Sunday, including the two local police officers driving slowly along in their car.

[Devils Advocate]

This is the case for everybody. A couple of weeks ago I had never worn one either. it really isn't such a big deal. I would say that the wearing of masks will stay for a while.

I'm sure as with all things, people will be informed of the legal requirement. For tourists I can't see any other time they will need to be worn other than if you cannot maintain a distance of two metres or in public enclosed places.

I don't think anyone was wearing them on the beach or the terrace bars I visited on Saturday and hardly anyone had one on at the picnic area i was at on Sunday, including the two local police officers driving slowly along in their car.

That's good to know. Thanks!

[Devils Advocate]

I don't think anyone was wearing them on the beach or the terrace bars I visited on Saturday and hardly anyone had one on at the picnic area i was at on Sunday, including the two local police officers driving slowly along in their car.

That's good to know. Thanks!

[olive]

Good point DA. When will we consider things to be normal? For me if/when I ever get back home, I thoroughly intend to be even more hermit like in my existence. Shame because we enjoy hotels and sightseeing. We can still do that socially distanced just means longer days in the car. Gosh Lavanda's motorhome is looking quite a good proposition....

I expect all governments did a risk assessment on levels of lockdown. Too tough and people would rebel, might even be anarchy. Too lax and people would take more liberties. The Spanish lockdown has been described as one of the toughest. Did they expect even more rule breaking from a laxer routine? Who knows?It is a lot of personal grief and I dare say to some a real penalty. Those idiots that recently had a party in Cordoba for 27 people including a Belgian Prince who managed to travel all that way (presumably) deserve a 10,000 euro fine.

[Devils Advocate]

Olive, very sad to hear your thoughts there, I truly hope on this occasion you are wrong....and that you return to Spain very soon and normality returns shortly after. Keep us posted.


Another question if I may.

A good friend of ours in the UK has a nice restaurant, probably 50 covers inside and a lovely beer garden, set in the grounds of a 9 hole golf course.

He's obviously been shut since March and thus turned his attention to laying new drainage for the course which has been needed for a while.

Anyway council have now hinted he may be able to reopen in March, so they visited his place to advise of the new table lay out required.

After thinking about it he's now decided to stay closed for the duration as he says he just couldn't make it pay, and cited examples of people maybe hogging tables all day asking for tap water to go with their meals etc.

So what is happening in Spain now the venues are allowed to open? I know our old small local bars are now reopened, however what about the bigger restaurants on the Costas who need big turnovers to make it work.......are any following our friends feelings and staying shut until "normality"

Also, the smaller bars? I know full well we've often spent 30e in our pueblo bar whilst one bloke with an empty cup of coffee was there before we arrived and still there when we left.

Anyone know how these smaller bars will handle this issue? Surely they'll want spenders on the available seats and will need to have some sort of policy regarding this?

[Wicksey]

As we enter Phase 2 today I was wondering how many more places may be open now that some seating indoors will be allowed as well as on the terrace. Certainly last week most places remained shut as I guess it wasn't worth them opening with just a few seats outside. Walking along Torrox Costa and through Nerja, it was pretty dead.

The place I ate on Friday has a huge outside area and was packed with people, and others queuing to eat there as we left. It's funny though that the tables were well set apart but the chairs around the tables were just as close. I sat elbow to elbow with my friend and other groups were sitting close together too on their tables. I plan to explore the shopping centres this week to see if everything has opened up, like Dunnes and C&A (not that I need any new clothes as I've been bumming around at home most of the last two and half months ).

[Lavanda]

“I don’t live in some outback with no contact with the real world”

Mark, that is offensive on so many levels for over half the people on this forum. ‘Outback’ no contact’ ‘real world’. We may not all be as amazing as you with your superior knowledge of everything but some of us are not completely out of touch, either. Let’s play nice, shall we.

[katy]

Strange how the lockdown suddenly ends when the tourist season is warming up. (all countries) Places around where I lived could not carry on without tourists. Semi residential ones off season and mainly Madrilenos from July. Locals mostly have their carrier and cool bags on the beach.

Lockdown was due to end as many were breaking it anyway. Nearly everyone I know has bent the rules, some more than others. Friends in Spain have been meeting in each others villas and similar here. Always plenty of examples in the daily fail but many in Spanish news too. Was a huge Botellon in la Mancha this weekend with hundreds attending. Funny how some who bend the rules are quick to report others. The curtain twitchers are now being twitched on.

Next stage will be emotive stories of 0.2% who have caught it after the lock down was lifted including a couple of kids out of 5 thousand! I am against all kinds of censorship of opinions but would go out and clap if the MSM was shut down for at least a month

[olive]

DA , I thought the proposal was 30 minutes for a drink and up to 90 minutrs if you are having food. Don’t know how that is to be policed. Maybe a waiter comes out with his damp grey 50 year old cloth ( pre CV19) To frighten you off. You know , the one used to wipe milk foam off coffee machine and to wipe tables.

I am renting a bedroom from a local closed ( UK) hotel while my dads bathroom is being remodelled. Talking with the owner it is quite depressing. He has some ideas of course.

The simple evonomics of social distancing and numbers of custmers per day mean there will need to be some good ideas to keep cafe culture alive in Spain.

[Devils Advocate]

DA , I thought the proposal was 30 minutes for a drink and up to 90 minutrs if you are having food. Don’t know how that is to be policed.

Wow, nor do I. I can think of some bar owners we knew who'd have the balls to enforce it and some who simply don't.

Another rule which if true will set person on person once more sadly.

[markwilding]

Strange how the lockdown suddenly ends when the tourist season is warming up.

or maybe at the difference of close on 900 dying and 9,000 new infections a day in late march/early April which has gone down to 2 dying and less than a hundred new infections overnight is the reason,

I doubt that there aren't many who haven't done something against the rules. I'm sure that includes me and my family

Clusters in Spain have been traced back to people flouting the lockdown rules. One of the original breakouts was in Vitoria quite close to here when lot's of people from throughout Spain attended funeral and was the source of new ones springing up in La Rioja. More recently Lleida and Ceuta have seen outbreaks due to parties.

[elusive]

As we enter Phase 2 today I was wondering how many more places may be open now that some seating indoors will be allowed as well as on the terrace. Certainly last week most places remained shut as I guess it wasn't worth them opening with just a few seats outside. Walking along Torrox Costa and through Nerja, it was pretty dead.

The place I ate on Friday has a huge outside area and was packed with people, and others queuing to eat there as we left. It's funny though that the tables were well set apart but the chairs around the tables were just as close. I sat elbow to elbow with my friend and other groups were sitting close together too on their tables. I plan to explore the shopping centres this week to see if everything has opened up, like Dunnes and C&A (not that I need any new clothes as I've been bumming around at home most of the last two and half months ).

El engenio website shows whats open dunnes is and the other with doors that open to the outside.

Re fines i know of someone fined in torrox travelling from frigiliana to competa to work. All the correct documention but torn up by an officer in torrox and a fine handed out.

[markwilding]

“I don’t live in some outback with no contact with the real world”

Mark, that is offensive on so many levels for over half the people on this forum. ‘Outback’ no contact’ ‘real world’. We may not all be as amazing as you with your superior knowledge of everything but some of us are not completely out of touch, either. Let’s play nice, shall we.

Lavender, Don't be so defensive all the time. I wasn't talking about you. You quite clearly wrote the same as me regarding wearing masks and when It's necessary to wear one and have personal experience .

[Lavanda]

... but I didn't write to imply that I lived in the centre of everything that is important and that I was in touch with the latest things happening. It doesn't matter and I'm not defensive "all the time" just some of the time.

[spanish_lad]

.Re fines i know of someone fined in torrox travelling from frigiliana to competa to work. All the correct documention but torn up by an officer in torrox and a fine handed out.

It will be interesting to see how many people actually try and contest the fines and how many just shut up and pay it, wether it was warented or not.

I have 'right to travel' papers from my office, as i live a good 25km from work. I would argue, as i have done before.

Just because they wear a uniform, dont be scared - if you believe that you were in the right, find out how to complain.

[markwilding]

lavender, The point I'm constantly try to point out is that living in a big metropolitan area such is this, the dangers are a lot more prevalent. The two municipals close to where I live including mine have had their fair share of cases and deaths. I do my best to avoid crowds but all that is a waste of time if my wife, who works in a hospital, brings it home. As a result, for me the dangers were real and extremely close.

That is why I'm quite sensitive to posters who politicise this and think that it's all been part of some massive conspiracy to form a new world order and then patronise those ,who think it's absurd, just because their personal situation didn't really warrant it, Collective responsibility for some translates into lack of freedom and democracy..

[BENIDORM]

We went to our local bar on Saturday night , we took off our masks when we arrived ,the tables were well spread out the waitress wore a mask all of the time, every customer kept their distance but we still chatted comfortably.
As each customer left the bar owner sprayed the tables and chairs with disinfectant and wiped down with disposable paper wipes.

I personally have no problem with how the lock down has been administered here, strict maybe , but correct in my opinion.
My family in UK have kept in touch with me on a daily basis and they're appalled with the antics of some with regard to not adhering to even the basic rules.
Pity that they don't have better role models in the public eye...
We plan to go out a little more now, but not any great distance and we will keep on observing the rules re wearing masks and social distancing....better to stay a few metres apart for a few more months than risk being in a box 6 foot under for ever.
Regards,
Zorro

[Lavanda]

I had a long chat with my brother in the UK this morning and he, too, is appalled at what is happening there. He told me not to even think of going to see our parents for months to come as the lack of seriousness and discipline over lockdown is sure to have dire consequences.

[Devils Advocate]

That's because the lockdown is effectively over. Let's face it you can drive your car for shopping, to meet friends, to go to work, to go to the country or seaside and can go out whenever you please...so where is the lockdown?

It is for the individual now to make the choice whether he/she wants to join in, or stay at home and have Tesco deliver.

It is a choice everyone is allowed, you need not be affected by the actions of people who you think are not "taking it seriously" .

I'll concede there are people who'll flout the 2 metre suggestion and abide by no advice whatsoever, but those people are not restricted solely to the UK.

The first 6 weeks by us we never saw a car move.....apart from delivery vehicles, and that's a fact. Now it's business as usual apart from the pubs still being shut.

[Beachcomber]

First, a note for all the self-appointed andalucia.com moderators.

This is an interview with a UK government advisor but it is in respect of coronavirus and most of the comments apply to Andalucía, Spain generally and the rest of the world as they do to the UK particularly those concerning social distancing:

https://www.elder.org/the-elder/an-inte ... -dingwall/