Madrid tightens coronavirus restrictions

AP , Tuesday 28 Jul 2020

Regional government head Isabel Diaz Ayuso announced Tuesday that no more than 10 people can be present at private gatherings

People wearing face masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus gather in a discotheque in Madrid, Sp
People wearing face masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus gather in a discotheque in Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, July 25, 2020. AP

The Madrid regional government is making the wearing of face masks mandatory in all public areas, limiting how many people can gather in one place and targeting young people in a drive to stamp out new outbreaks of the coronavirus.

Regional government head Isabel Diaz Ayuso announced Tuesday that no more than 10 people can be present at private gatherings.

Nightlife venues must close their doors at 1 a.m. _ much earlier than usual in Spanish summertime _ and customers will have to give their identification details to get in.

Diaz Ayuso said an information campaign will focus on young people, who are largely blamed for spreading the coronavirus through their social life. She said young people ``have it in their hands to reverse the trend.''

The regional government is also launching a scheme of certificates that certify that a person has immunity.

Madrid, along with Catalonia, is one of Spain's wort-hit regions. It has recorded more than 74,000 cases, with almost 1,900 new infections in the past two weeks.

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