24 April – Ibiza Covid19 Update

Covid19 figures for Ibiza & Formentera on 23/04/20 were as follows (via Periodico de Ibiza)

· 154 cases in total
· 57 Active Cases
· 26 in hospitals being monitored
· 10 in hospitals in intensive care
· 21 under surveillance at home
· 85 Discharged
· 12 fatalities

· 23 health workers under ‘active surveillance’
· 16 days without new patients admitted to Intensive Care
· 15 days without any new contagions of Health Workers

The latest fatality was Señora Andrea García, the matriarch of the famous Juan y Andrea Restaurant on Illetas beach in Formentera. Sra Garcia was in her late 70’s and had underlying health issues. This is Formentera’s first fatality due to the virus

These figures are updated daily at 1pm by Balearic Health Office.

The lockdown is now officially until midnight on the evening of Saturday 9 May.

After initially saying that from 26 April children would only be allowed out to supermarkets banks and chemists with their parents the Spanish government performed a U-Turn after widespread criticism from all quarters.

From 9am on Sunday morning children up to 14 are allowed to leave their home as follows:

· From 9am-9pm avoiding busy periods
· Maximum of 1 hour
· Within maximum of 1 km of the family home
· Must be with a responsible adult from the same household
· Maximum of 3 children with 1 adult at any one time
· Must stay within a controllable distance of the adult
· Must respect the existing social distancing guidelines with respect to others
· Permitted to run, play and do exercise respecting existing social distancing guidelines
· They can use their own toys (ball, scooter etc) but cannot use public or communal play parks/areas
· In rural areas the use of countryside and forests is allowed but must respect the existing social distancing guidelines
· Any children showing symptoms of the virus or are in quarantine are not allowed out of the house

Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa said that these outings must be carried out “with utmost caution” in accordance with the 3 priorities in the fight to slow the spread of the coronavirus:
· Maintain a physical distance of between 1.5 to metres
· Frequently wash hands
· Maintain strict hygiene when using public spaces.
The minister recommended children wear face masks, but warned that this “must not exempt the other three measures.”

Ibiza’s institutions plan to present a battery of 10 measures today aimed at reducing the financial pressure and to encourage the economy. The objective is that the Island comes together to avoid inequalities if each municipality deployed its own measures. Some of the proposals are the deferment of payment of taxes, facilitate interest-free payment plans, reduce the payment of fees proportionally to any period of inactivity and promote public works. More details will be published in due course.

On Wednesday 167,500 face masks were delivered to Ibiza and Formentera from Mallorca to help supply the 48 pharmacies on the islands. The masks will have a maximum price of 0.96 euros per unit (VAT included). This is the maximum price set by authorities.

Since the start of the Covid-19 crisis Ibiza Town City Council has invested 100,000 euros in PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for municipal workers, as reported by a press release.

New information regarding rental payments to private and commercial landlords came into force as of 23 April – Read more info here via Citizens Advice Bureau Spain. Please see your financial advisor or gestoria for more details as every situation is different.

The private Rosario Health Clinic in Ibiza Town has already treated 10 Covid19 patients with ozone therapy and in 8 cases it had a ‘spectacular’ result, said a spokeswoman. 7 of 8 patients have already been discharged and the other will be able to return home shortly. The treatment consists of mixing the blood (a max of 200 cm3) with ozone every 12 hours in the case of the seriously ill and every 6 hours in the most serious for a maximum of 5 days. Sources at the private hospital centre said that for suitable patients there is an ‘immediate change’ in their situation in the 1st 24 hours.

Spanish Authorities have specifically warned about fake news so local government websites and credible press/social media pages are the best places to gather important information, please pass on wherever possible.

The situation is evolving but the message is very clear – please stay at home and keep a cool and calm head. By following these guidelines, together, we will beat this disease and get on with the rest of our lives.

Best Regards – Stay Safe and Stay Home

With special thanks to Lesley Donald, Tricia Templeton and Julian Cobby

VERY IMPORTANT: INFORMATION TAKEN FROM CREDIBLE PRESS AND GOVERNMENT SOURCES HOWEVER THE SITUATION IS FLUID. THIS UPDATE IS WRITTEN FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ERRORS GIVEN IN GOOD FAITH.