Huge change to Covid rules in Canary Islands

The Government of the Canary Islands announces a huge change to Covid restrictions

In a massive boost to British holidaymakers wishing to jet away to the Canary Islands, Covid restrictions on the popular Spanish islands in the Atlantic have been lowered today, Monday, March 7. This will of course also be welcome news to businesses on the islands.

From midday today, all islands in the archipelago will now be able to operate at the lowest level on their ‘traffic light’ system, which is Level 1. This applies to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, and La Graciosa.

Since the start of the pandemic, the ‘traffic light’ system has been in use, working in accordance with the coronavirus incidence rate, and the number of hospital admissions. This latest move was agreed by the Governing Council at a meeting last Thursday 3, after receiving a favourable report from the General Directorate of Public Health.

While under Level 1 rules, all indoor and outdoor spaces, including restaurants, bars, and cafes, are allowed 100 per cent capacity. They can also stay open until 4am. Indoor and outdoor events can also operate with 100 per cent capacity.

The only restrictions still in place under Level 1 are the limit on group sizes, which is 12 persons, and dancing is still prohibited, even though nightclubs are open.

Jose Juan Aleman, the general director of Public Health, said he believes that health experts will probably scrap all Covid rules in the Canaries by summer, and that the traffic light system will “disappear before long”.

Mr Aleman also hinted that it seemed “perfectly feasible” that by June, mass events could be allowed to take place without the need for masks.

Today’s measure will stay in force until April 30, after which, depending on the Covid data nearer the time, the restrictions could either be extended, or scrapped completely. This remains to be seen.

Entry requirements have recently been relaxed in Spain, with unvaccinated Brits who have recovered from Covid, now allowed in. This latest change means that somebody with zero, or one jab, can now enter, as long as they produce proof of having recovered, whereas previously, only vaccinated Brits could visit Spain, as reported by thesun.co.uk.

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