Valencia to impose curfews on 32 districts, will also limit gatherings

Valencia’s Superior Court has granted the government powers to impose night time curfews in 32 districts. The number of people who can meet indoors will also be restricted to 10.
Valencia is to impose night time curfews in 32 districts as Covid-19 cases in the community surge. President Ximo Puig requested power to do so last week but had to wait until today, July 12, to be granted legal permission.
The 32 areas affected by the 14-day restrictions: Almassera, Bunol, Puig, Tavernes Blanques, Vilamarxant, Benicasim Alboraya, Benaguasil, Benetússer, Benifaio, l’Eliana, Meliana, Moncada, Picanya, Picassent, Pucol, Requena, Riba-roja de Turia, Sedavi, Silla, Utiel, San Vicente del Raspeig, Alaquas, Aldaia, Burjassot, Catarroja, Quart de Poblet, Xirivella, Gandia, Mislata, Paterna and Valencia.
Valencia’s Health Minister, Ana Barcelo, said of the curfews, “It is necessary to adopt these measures aimed at protecting the health of citizens.
“The epidemiological situation is not what we would like and, therefore, the Valencian government has decided to act forcefully to stop the chain of infections,” she added.
The Generalitat will also limit the number of people who can meet at home to 10, and halt the sale of alcohol in shops and supermarkets after 8pm.
The court agreed to the curfew after it found the measures “balanced” and of wider benefit while remaining consistent with the concept of “constitutional judgment of proportionality.”
“The practical experience that we now have, and it is evident in the reference justifications, is that measures laxer than those in question here have not worked correctly in relation to the obvious objective being pursued,” the ruling stated.
As of Saturday July 10, night clubs in Valencia must shut at 12.30am and hotels and bars have reduced capacity with a maximum of six people per table inside and 10 outside. The restrictions will remain in place until July 25.
The number of people who can meet at home will now be limited to 10, and the sale of alcohol in shops and supermarkets halted after 8pm.
“The pandemic has worsened. Nine days after the last restrictions, the virus forces us to take action. It forces us to stop the progressive opening,” Ximo Puig said on July 8.
“A fundamental part of the outbreaks begins in the leisure sector, regulated and unregulated. We cannot have an active risk of this type because it is a danger to public health,” he added.
More than 63 per cent of Valencia’s new cases are among people between 15 and 34-years-of-age.
Concerts and events will also reduce their capacity from 4,000 to 3,000 spectators for outdoor events and 2,000 people in closed spaces.

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