Spanish government tightens lockdown

Ministers will approve the confinement of non-essential workers to their homes for the next two weeks.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Saturday the total lockdown of the country.

Only those who are working in essential sectors will continue to work. It is the new bid to halt the spread of the coronavirus and to reduce the congestion of the country’s intensive care units (ICUs).

At an extraordinary Cabinet meeting today, ministers will approve the confinement of non-essential workers to their homes for the next two weeks, from Monday, 30 March, until Thursday 9 April.

“This measure will reduce the mobility of people even further, it will reduce the risk of contagion and will allow us to decongest the ICUs,” Pedro Sánchez said on television on Saturday night.

The sectors not included in the new measures are thos of foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, veterinarians, opticians, hygiene products, the press, fuels for the automotive sector, tobacconists, IT and telecommunications vendors, pet food, internet vendors and dry cleaners.