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Minister Samantha Sacramento has today (18.12.2020) announced during an emergency Parliament session that, due to the recent “spike” in Covid cases in Gibraltar, bars and restaurants will close as from 7pm with immediate effect. It was agreed unanimously. Sacramento wanred that further restrictions may be announced next week.
Minister for the Health Authority, Justice, Multiculturalism, Equality and Community Affairs, Samantha Sacramento said that the main motivating factor was the incubation period of the virus in the lead up to Christmas: “the virus has an incubation period of 10 days and this brings us to Christmas day, when many of us will be planning to visit our loved ones… we are putting them at greater risk if do not curb the spike immediately.”
During Parliament, Minister Sacramento said that within the last 5 days, active cases have risen from 42 (14th of December) to 120 (18th December), meaning an increase of 78 cases.
“In order to flatten the curve … a number of immediate measures are to come into force to attempt to flatten the curve during the festive season”.
Restaurants, bars, cafes and all other establishments operating under a permit relating to food and alcohol will now need to close their doors at 7 PM each evening “with regard to consumption on the premises” but will be able to continue their takeaway service.
Hotel guests will continue to be served at hotel restaurants.
It was announced that the consumption of alcohol in public places (other than licensed premises) between 7PM – 8AM each day will be an offence.
On the 24th of December, Christmas Eve, no alcohol consumption will be permitted in public places other than licensed premises as from 4PM.
We believe that the 4PM cut-off time for alcohol consumption outside of licensed premises has been chosen due to the yearly tradition of daytime drinking on Christmas eve.
“It is hoped that these measures will bring about a reduction in active cases so as to ensure that our most vulnerable persons are kept safe and our health services are able to cope without a lockdown being necessary.”
Restrictions on gathering were not mentioned, although Sacramento said that there may be further restrictions announced next week “if the Government is so advised”.
The move was backed by the GSD opposition party, with Eliott Phillips stating that the move must have been “extremely difficult” for the government to make and pointed to the fact that, due to Christmas being mere days away, “this is a very sensitive time for our community”.
Sacramento ended by pleading with people to continue to follow social distancing and maintain respiratory hygiene measures and that “based on the trends that have been predicted … this is not only the right thing we can do but the only thing we can do”.
Minister Sacramento stood in for the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo who, it was explained, was deeply involved in Brexit negotiations but had approved the new measures which the minister announced on the government’s behalf.
