The Generalitat has decided to eliminate the obligation to show the COVID passport to access bars, restaurants, gyms and residences, where this certificate was required. They have decided this Wednesday at the last minute after evaluating the report they had requested from their scientific advisory committee. The measure comes into force this Thursday.
Catalonia lifts the restrictions on capacity and meetings but maintains the closure of nightlife
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Since its entry into force at the end of November, never until this week had there been so much speculation about the future of the certificate. With the emergence of the omicron variant, the Department of Health asked the Generalitat’s Scientific Advisory Committee to evaluate its effectiveness. Since then, the messages issued by the Minister, Josep Maria Argimon, were in line with recognizing that it was not serving what it was conceived for, which is to avoid contagion.
Until this week, all those over 12 who want to access restaurants, bars, gyms and residences for the elderly were required to show the COVID passport.
“The omicron variant has been shown to have immune escape and thus decreased prevention of infection, compared to the delta variant, as discussed in the Committee document [asesor]”, expresses the Government in a statement. “In this way, an important part of the population is once again susceptible to being infected with the virus, regardless of their vaccination status or having had the disease,” they add.
Apart from this measure, this Friday all the main restrictions that were in force will decline in Catalonia except the closure of nightlife. The Government announced on Monday that the limits on social gatherings will end – it was a maximum of ten people – and also the reductions in capacity and hours.
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