Unlocking the lockdown

[John H]

GA veteran do you have to wear one in a bar or restaurant?

A mate in GA, posted this on Facebook the other day Spurs;

A polite reminder to anyone travelling into Spain, in the coming days/weeks, please be aware you MUST carry a mask at ALL times. It’s NOT a choice.

This will continue until a Vaccine is available. While sitting at a table in a bar or restaurant this does not apply, BUT leaving your seat for any reason requires you to have a mask with you.

The Royal Decree revised on 20 June states it is OBLIGATORY to carry a mask with you at all times, and must be worn if a social distance of 1.5 metres cannot be maintained.

The police can and will fine you on the spot!

Please be careful and respectful.

Hope this helps

Regards all

John

[Rob H]

Hi John,

I`ve just joined the forum but have had a house in GA for over 16 years. We are due out on the 4th August (fingers crossed) and I`m just trying to understand the whole mask thing. For example, if we go for dinner to a restaurant and during dinner we have to get up from our seat to say visit the men`s room do i have to put my mask on? What if we are simply walking around say the GA centre? Hope you can help?

[gaveteran]

I suppose Rob, it might be easier to understand less in terms of the law, and more in terms of personal ethics and responsibility.

When you get up from a table to walk to the toilet - normally, in any bar or restaurant - do you imagine you would walk past multiple other people and breath on/near them? Do you you agree that when you get to the bathroom it is going to be a fairly small place, and might very well have other people in it, and even if it hasn't that someone else might come in and you'd then breathe on them? Then repeat all that on the way back.

This isn't rocket science. You should want to wear a mask, you should very much want for people around you to wear one. Especially, if like you, they've arrived from another country with much high infection rates. Personally I think it's your ethical responsibility to stay put until there's a treatment, but if you can't/won't then for pity's sake do your 100% best to not give the virus which you stand a higher than average chance of catching on the plane to us folks here! Why don't you do as I do (even though I've been basically in confinement for months) and put a mask on at all times when you are outdoors, unless sitting safely away from anyone else and putting some food in your mouth. Simple

[Derek]

Hi John,

I`ve just joined the forum but have had a house in GA for over 16 years. We are due out on the 4th August (fingers crossed) and I`m just trying to understand the whole mask thing. For example, if we go for dinner to a restaurant and during dinner we have to get up from our seat to say visit the men`s room do i have to put my mask on? What if we are simply walking around say the GA centre? Hope you can help?

Welcome to this friendly forum!!!

See here;

https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/72676217_3003884619729968_2159038987814654748_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_sid=ca434c&_nc_ohc=7xsXojZru44AX-AJsqh&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=1328bc1b3cd88bb602523e4fdb244c8f&oe=5F1DE9DB

[John H]

100% with you gaveteran in your earlier reply.

A friend arrived back in GA a couple of days ago, he's just written to me telling me what life is like;

Hi John, I haven’t been around much locally.  I was in Rincon de Santi in Arenales. I sat inside. They place the people at 1,5 meter away from each other and all the staff wears high standard face masks. You’re expected to do the same until you sit at a “safe social distance” which is the case.
I ate at the marina in Santa Pola but sat outside. So for me no mask but all the staff again wearing high standard masks. And they were doing their utmost to keep the social distance rules under control. The fancy fair across la Piedra was only halve installed just yesterday. When I went to check on the carabassi, there was no Blue Monkey or beds to be rented. Maybe they’d will also install last minute like the fancy fair but I will need to ask my upstairs neighbor as she is a worker at the Blue Monkey for years.
Supermarkets :
When I arrived it was a bank holiday for San Juan. That meant by the time I was at the shops too late and only Lidl was open. I never go there but I had no choice but mouth mask is mandatory in all shops and they foresee hand gel dispensers at the door and high standard gloves.
The day after Mercadona : the same like Lidl only the gloves are the very cheap ones which you usually find at the fruits and veggies or bakery. 
I checked into consum as well. Mouth mask mandotory, hand gel dispensers but gloves not mandatory.
I went to get a pizza at cocoas. Since there was space at the terrace I ate it there. All staff wearing disposable mouth masks, on the terrace I didn’t need to put anything on but when I went in to pay by card I had to put on my mouth mask.

Overall in arenales and Santa Pola it is very hard to find a parking place so it is very busy. Especially today in Santa Pola so businesses attract people and Gran playa was crowded but looking at it from a distance all safe.

Here in Gran Alacant the parking at supermarkets are fully loaded. On the terraces I have seen wasn’t too much crowd.
( I've "redacted" this part...apologies if it doesn't "flow")
Then I will know how works there but the general rule is mouth mask once you don’t respect the 1,5 m social distance (so basically when you get of your chair) but no face mask when sat at a safe distance and staff wearing masks continuously.
Cheers

Regards all

John

[John H]

Just to add, I wish the UK would adopt the same procedures as Spain has, I for one would feel much safer and have far more respect for our Government.

Regards all

John

[Alicante Holiday Villas]

A very interesting article about the benefits of masks https://www.lasprovincias.es/comunitat/experimento-mascarillas-eficacia-20200629112517-nt.html

It is in Spanish, but if that's a problem, there is also an option to use Google! 

[John H]

.....as we all saw on the news yesterday Leicester is in lockdown, so folk in Leicester should be a staying at home.
Let's say a family from Leicester think sod that and next Monday rock up at East Midlands Airport for the Ryanair flight to Alicante....will they be stopped from boarding the flight?
I'm not asking for a friend by the way, it's a genuine question...because if they are allowed to board the flight it makes a mockery of everything that is being done to stop the spread of this pandemic.

Regards all

John

[gaveteran]

I wouldn't be too optimistic John, as far as I can see the UK in general "makes a mockery of everything that is being done to stop the spread of this pandemic". You only have to read to comments on here to be honest. The people that are going to come and visit us here this Summer couldn't give a monkey's, they just want to know what the minimum requirement for not getting fined is going to be while they sit, packed like sardines for all they care, in the sun.

[Peter D]

Bang on John and Gaveteran.We were given the chance to show that we could behave responsibly and look what happened.A little bit of sunshine and the beaches are packed,we can't behave .What harm would another month in lockdown have done? People had got used to the idea but try and reinforce it back on again.  No chance!
I'm desperate to get out for a month or so but not yet ,I don't fancy a two and half hour flight in a mask and chaotic airports either side.Ill hang on until October

[Derek]

Peter who is this we? You certainly do not speak for me or the majority of Brits I am sure. The vast majority have not gone to the beach and are doing their best not to catch the virus. Yes it is great that people can be paid to stay at home and any fool, including the UK government, can give it way but the economy does need to restart before too many of the lazy forget how to work.

 Derek

"and the beaches are packed,we can't behave"

[Peter D]

Just to make it easier for you to understand Derek,change We to You.

[Blue and white stripes]

I agree with Derek. Where I live in the UK I reckon 95+% are respecting the rules regarding lock down and social distancing. Don't judge all the UK on the tossers who go to the beach, have illegal raves, attend protest marches or celebrate their team winning the league.
I and everyone I know have stuck to the rules.

[Tony Gillam]

Perhaps we can hope for natural selection to improve the gene pool.

[Derek]

About trying to keep safe.

I am going to Gran Alacant  soon and rather than flying, which I think carries a higher risk of transmission, I am riding from my home in North Dorset to Newhaven in order to catch a ferry to Dieppe. The ferry leaves at 9.00am so it will mean leaving home about 4.45am. I have booked a cabin both ways purely to isolate from others passengers (the crossing only takes 4 hours so a cabin is not normally necessary). I ride from Dieppe to Grand Alacant taking two night stops where I am actually staying in apartment type accommodation where there is a microwave so that I can cook my own food. This is not to save money as it is more expensive but again to avoid contact with other travellers etc. Obviously space on a motorbike is limited so very careful planning has taken place to fit food and clothes in. I am even taking my own sleeping bag, pillow and towels in case I catch anything from the linen at the places that I am staying at. A supply of face masks are at the ready. I think the trip is going to cost me about £700,00 compared with about £50.00 on Ryanair. This I think contrasts a little from the thought that all Brits (which is my nationality) are reckless.

Some would suggest that even going is reckless but I think we do need to move to a new way of life outside lock-down.

Derek