One day after the Community of Madrid asked the central government to go to phase 1 of the de-escalation of the confinement decreed to combat the coronavirus, Carmen Yolanda Fuentes, general director of Public Health, has resigned, according to a source from EL PAÍS the confidence of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, regional president. The autonomous government, which does not clarify if it accepts the resignation, faces a major restructuring of its Health department throughout this Thursday, according to this interlocutor. The directive has motivated its departure with its disagreement with the desire of the Executive to enter phase 1, according to a government source.
The Madrid government decided on Wednesday to ask the Ministry of Health to allow it to enter phase 1 of the de-escalation on Monday, despite the fact that it is the epicenter of the pandemic in Spain. Thus, more than 67,000 people have tested positive in the region, more than 15,000 have died from causes linked to the coronavirus, and almost 600 continue to fight for their lives in intensive care units.
That step was taken even after Diaz Ayuso herself clearly expressed her doubts about it, in the face of the belief of her vice president and government partner, Ignacio Aguado, that it was the right thing to do.
The decision of the Community of Madrid has aroused the surprise of other Communities, such as Castilla y León, which has decided not to apply for membership in phase 1 despite the fact that it is in a quantitatively better situation than that of the Madrid region.
“I never thought in my political life that I would have to say this, but I am amazed to have to say that Torra has been more sensible,” said Francisco Igea, vice president of Castilla y León, and doctor, about the president of the Generalitat of Catalonia, that it has not requested its incorporation to phase 1, like Castilla y León. “I will not say anything else”.
These are the changes involved in entering phase 1, which lasts at least two weeks: social gatherings of up to 10 people are allowed, respecting the physical distance; opening of small commerce; opening of terraces (occupancy up to 50%); opening of hotels and tourist accommodation excluding common areas; places of worship will have a 30% limitation; Non-professional sport is allowed for activities that do not involve physical contact or the use of changing rooms; open-air markets, with distance conditions between the stalls; cultural shows of less than 30 people indoors (with a third capacity) and less than 200 people outdoors; museum visits limited to a third of the capacity and wakes for a limited number of attendees.
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