- Ibiza moves down to Level 2
- The new rules for level 2
- Bars given until February to get CO2 meters
- Covid-19 spike in Sant Agusti, but Zero in Sant Jordi
Ibiza will go from level 3 down to level 2 on the Balearic Islands Covid-19 health regulations 5 tier scale. The change comes as a result of Ibiza’s ongoing improvement in its infection figures, and is happening at the same time Mallorca is moving in the opposite direction.
Curfew continues as it was in level 3, i.e. 12 midnight to 6am, however social grouping measures are relaxed, meaning that up to 10 people can now gather on terraces as opposed 6 before.
A full breakdown of what Ibizans can do under the new level 2 rules is given below.
The President of Ibiza, Vicent Marí, has urged residents not to let down their cautionary guard. He appealed to “individual responsibility”, especially during the Christmas holidays, to prevent the number of infections from increasing again.
Whilst the Ibiza trend is currently downward, in Mallorca there is a strong rebound, resulting in Ibiza’s bigger sister island going in the wrong direction from level 3 to level 4. The situation in Menorca is also worsening though Formentera remains stable even given the outbreak of 11 cases that have been traced back to a funeral gathering.
What can and cannot be done in Ibiza with level 2
The levels are:
- Alert level 0 : New normal. Sporadic cases with good traceability, usually imported, and without identifying the existence of community transmission.
- Alert level 1 : Risk very low or low, with complex outbreaks or limited community transmission. Formentera is at this level.
- Alert level 2: Medium risk, sustained widespread community transmission with increasing pressure on the health system.
- Alert level 3: High risk, uncontrolled and sustained community transmission that exceeds the response capacities of the health system . Ibiza is at this level currently.
- Alert level 4: Very high or extreme risk, uncontrolled and sustained community transmission that exceeds the response capabilities of the health system and that may require exceptional measures.
What can be done on level 2 as applies to Ibiza from 15th December
- Social gatherings: Maximum of ten people outside and six inside.
- Mobility: Curfew from midnight to 6 am.
- Hospitality: Inside, only six people can sit per table. If the ventilation is high risk, the capacity should be 40%, if it is medium risk, 50% if the capacity is greater than or equal to 50 people, and 70% if the capacity is less than 50 clients. On the terraces, the capacity must be a maximum of 75% and a maximum of ten people per table. All establishments must be closed at midnight and the use of bars is prohibited.
- Places of ceremonies and worship: A maximum of 60 people may congregate outside and 30 inside as long as 50% of the capacity is not exceeded.
- Tobacco: You can smoke on the street except on the terraces and when you cannot keep the two meters of safety distance.
- Shops: The maximum capacity is 75%.
- Sports: In sports spaces with high and medium risk of ventilation, the capacity will be 50% (maximum of 15 people in directed activities). Outdoor activities and excursions may have a participation of up to 30 people.
- Shows: Cinemas with 45% capacity and theatres with 50%.
What can be done on level 1 as applies to Formentera
- Social gatherings: Maximum of 20 people outdoors and 10 indoors.
- Mobility: Curfew from midnight to 6 am
- Hospitality: Inside, maximum of 10 people can sit per table. If ventilation is high risk, the capacity should be 50%, if it is medium risk, 75%. On the terraces the capacity must be a maximum of 75%. Groups of maximum 15 people per table can be seated on the terraces.
- All premises must be closed at midnight. People can use the bar until 10 pm.
- Places of ceremonies and worship: A maximum of 100 people may congregate outside and 50 inside as long as 30% of the capacity is not exceeded.
- Tobacco: You can smoke on the street except on the terraces and when you cannot keep the two meters of safety distance.
- Shops: The maximum capacity is 75% and must be closed at 10 pm.
- Sports: In sports spaces with a medium risk of ventilation, the capacity will be 75% (maximum of 30 people in directed activities). With high risk, the capacity will be 50% and a maximum of 15 people in the directed activities.
- Shows: Cinemas with 45% capacity and theatres with 75% capacity.
Special Arrangements Over Christmas & The New Year
Specifically, on Christmas Eve 24th, Christmas Day 25th, New Years Eve 31st and New years Day 1st, the following changes will be in force.
The maximum number of people allowed at social gatherings will rise from the normal 6 to the special holiday limit of 10.
Curfew will also increase from the current 12 midnight, to 1.30am. There was no specific mention in the report as to whether hospitality businesses would also be able to open until 1.30am though we suspect this will be the case. (edit: we are receiving mixed messaged re the extended curfew, some reports are saying it will apply to the four days listed above, others that it only applies on December 24th and 31st. We will clarify this as soon as possible)
The deadline for bars to install CO2 meters is extended until February
All bars, restaurants, cafeterias and other similar establishments in Ibiza must have a carbon dioxide (CO2) meter inside, and visible to customers, to determine the concentration of CO2 and thus the quality of air and ventilation. Should their air quality fall below acceptable standards they will be required to implement air purification systems.
The aim was to have today 15th of December as the dealine for installation of the monitors, however the deadline has now been set to February 1st.
Business owners are responsible for the purchase of the 100€ CO2 meters, which must show a level of under 800 particles per million (ppm) of CO2 inside the premises, a level from which it is considered to increase considerably the risk of contagion. Carbon dioxide is expelled naturally by people when they speak and breathe, so it tends to concentrate in closed spaces.
The president of the Ibiza Restoration Association, Verónica Juan, explained that many bars and restaurants have already installed the meters, but many others would find it impossible as there are simply not enough of the meters available among the seven companies in Ibiza selling the devices.
“They are asking for more and in the next few days there will be enough for everyone. They are the same devices that are used in educational centres, “said Juan.
The president of Restauración pointed out that “not all establishments are the same or have the same facilities to achieve good ventilation.” Therefore, those who do not comply with this requirement and whose meters show results above 800 particles per million CO2, will be obliged to adopt corrective measures, which will consist of the installation of EPA purifiers or filters to improve the air quality of the inside.
Venues that choose to do nothing will have their capacity limited to 30%, regardless of wider changes in the Island’s status on the Balearic scale. Those who install them and are able to achieve the required air quality will be able to increase their capacity to 60% or 70%.
Though business owners are expected to pay for the CO2 meters themselves, there will be some assistance available to fund the much more expensive air filtration systems should they be necessary. Initially this assistance was announced as a loan, however the Government have decided to offer those businesses that need it an 800€ subsidy towards the cost, which they say should be 1,200€ maximum.
Coronavirus incidence spikes in Sant Agustí
The incidence of coronavirus in the Sant Agustí health zone has spiked in the last week, according to the latest study by the Ib-Salut Epidemiology service.
Between November 25th and December 1st, the area assigned to the Sant Agustí basic health unit registered 64 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. However, between December 2nd and 8th this figure was 169, that is, 165% more. If this situation were to be repeated next week, the two-week incidence would close to 350, a figure higher than the Balearic average, whose 14-day rate is 237.4 cases, according to the document.
Sant Agustí is the area of the Pitiusas in which the incidence of the virus increased the most after seven days and the one that registered the highest rate in those last seven days.
The incidence at one week (the one used to see the evolution of the virus and its speed) rose in all health areas of the Pitiusas except for Sant Josep, which fell by more than half from 70 cases per hundred thousand inhabitants to 31, Santa Eulària, which was the same as the previous week at 63 cases, and Sant Jordi, which has now had zero cases for more than fifteen days.
The highest rates in the Balearics are Torrent de Sant Miquel, with 508 cases, or Serra Nord and Es Banyer Alaior, with 269.
By municipalities, Ibiza continues to be the one with the highest incidence in the Pitiusas, 122.5 cases per one hundred thousand inhabitants.
Sant Joan remains the municipality least affected by Covid, with 31.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 weeks.
