Spain to open in phases across the country from today

Spain is set enter phase one of its process in easing Covid-19 restrictions on May 11, including allowing film permitting in public locations.

The country’s progress to a “new normal” will go through four phases, each lasting a minimum of two weeks. The process could be completed by the end of June.

But each province or Island will go through the phases at different speeds according to their individual conditions, which include the capacity of their health services to deal with new cases of Covid-19.

Phase 0 will kick off today with a slight loosening of restrictions, such as allowing adults and children to exercise for the first time in 50 days, and some businesses to operate by appointment, such as hairdressers, and restaurants can serve food to take away.

A few of the smaller islands that have shown no recent Covid-19 cases (El Hierro, La Graciosa and La Gomera in the Canaries and Formentera in the Balearics) have already been allowed to jump ahead and start phase one today.

This transition to phase one is key for the film, TV and commercials industry. “[One of the key plus points] will be that the film permit office is to open, which will allow us to permit public locations,” enthuses Susan A Walker, an international producer at Spanish production service outfit Aproductions, to KFTV.

“Currently we are only able to film in privately owned or rented locations,” adds Walker, who’s company has been filming carefully in studios. “We have an office in Tenerife and they tell us that eight domestic flights arrive per day to the northern airport (from Barcelona, Madrid & other islands).” 

Equipment rental houses have also opened in some of the Canary Islands and are “eager to rent equipment with added discounts!,” she adds.

Recent big projects to shoot on the islands include Marvel’s The Eternals, starring Angelina Jolie and Richard Madden, and Netflix series The Witcher, starring Henry Cavill.

However, despite the easing of the lockdown, many restrictions have remained across Spain, one of the world's worst-hit countries with more than 213,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and almost 24,000 deaths.

Phase Two, the intermediary stage, should begin on 25 May in all provinces that comply with the health conditions. Bars and restaurants will be able to open up their indoor spaces with capacity restrictions, and cultural events will be permitted with fewer than 50 people in indoor spaces and fewer than 400 outdoors.

“We are starting to glimpse an outcome that will be a reward for the huge collective effort made over the past weeks,” said Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.