https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Cases of viral respiratory infections such as flu, Covid and bronchitis have shot up over the past few weeks in Spain, putting an enormous strain on hospitals across the country and causing a severe lack of beds. https://www.thelocal.es/20240104/respiratory-infections-soar-in-spain-over-christmas-as-hospitals-struggle Thu, 04 Jan 2024 13:33:07 +0100 respiratory-infections-soar-in-spain-over-christmas-as-hospitals-struggle The World Health Organization's European office warned on Tuesday the risk of Covid-19 has not gone away, saying it was still responsible for nearly 1,000 deaths a week in the region. And the real figure may be much higher. https://www.thelocal.es/20230627/covid-19-still-causing-1000-deaths-a-week-in-europe-who-warns Tue, 27 Jun 2023 15:27:54 +0200 covid-19-still-causing-1000-deaths-a-week-in-europe-who-warns Spanish health experts have advised the government that the use of masks should no longer be obligatory on public transport, but no concrete date has yet been set. https://www.thelocal.es/20230119/spanish-health-experts-advise-the-end-of-masks-on-public-transport Thu, 19 Jan 2023 11:57:15 +0100 spanish-health-experts-advise-the-end-of-masks-on-public-transport All passengers arriving from China must now show a valid Covid-19 certificate or negative test to enter Spain, and third-country nationals without one could be denied entry. https://www.thelocal.es/20230105/spain-now-requires-covid-certificates-for-arrivals-from-china Thu, 05 Jan 2023 11:47:27 +0100 spain-now-requires-covid-certificates-for-arrivals-from-china Following the end of China's zero-Covid policy and a surge in infections in the world's most populous country, the Spanish government has gone back on its initial plan to not introduce new travel restrictions. https://www.thelocal.es/20221230/how-spain-is-reacting-to-chinas-covid-spike Fri, 30 Dec 2022 10:09:51 +0100 how-spain-is-reacting-to-chinas-covid-spike Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced that he has tested positive for COVID-19. https://www.thelocal.es/20220925/spanish-pm-tests-positive-for-covid Sun, 25 Sep 2022 18:07:20 +0200 spanish-pm-tests-positive-for-covid The Catalan Health Ministry has introduced a new way of asking for sick leave from work for those with Covid-19 symptoms. The leave will automatically be given for five days, without the need to present a positive test. https://www.thelocal.es/20220706/catalonia-to-give-automatic-five-day-sick-leave-to-people-with-covid-symptoms Wed, 06 Jul 2022 12:49:38 +0200 catalonia-to-give-automatic-five-day-sick-leave-to-people-with-covid-symptoms The mandatory EU-wide mask requirement for air travel is set to be dropped from Monday, May 16th, but airlines may still require passengers to wear masks on some or all flights https://www.thelocal.es/20220511/face-mask-rule-on-flights-in-europe-set-to-be-eased Wed, 11 May 2022 18:17:55 +0200 face-mask-rule-on-flights-in-europe-set-to-be-eased Spanish-Peruvian Nobel literature laureate Mario Vargas Llosa has "beaten" Covid and will leave the Madrid clinic where he was being treated to complete his recovery at home, his family tweeted on Monday. https://www.thelocal.es/20220425/spanish-nobel-laureate-vargas-llosa-to-head-home-after-beating-covid Mon, 25 Apr 2022 16:55:08 +0200 spanish-nobel-laureate-vargas-llosa-to-head-home-after-beating-covid Just as Spain drops its indoor mask-wearing rules, Spanish health authorities have warned that a new highly contagious but largely unstudied Covid variant has been detected in the country. https://www.thelocal.es/20220420/spain-detects-cases-of-new-highly-contagious-xe-covid-variant Wed, 20 Apr 2022 15:41:59 +0200 spain-detects-cases-of-new-highly-contagious-xe-covid-variant As Easter week fast approaches, many residents and tourists are eager to know whether Spain's Covid restrictions will be eased or tightened ahead of the holiday period. Here’s what you need to know about the current infections, restrictions and travel rules and whether they’re likely to change. https://www.thelocal.es/20220322/travel-will-spain-change-its-covid-restrictions-ahead-of-easter Tue, 22 Mar 2022 16:26:37 +0100 travel-will-spain-change-its-covid-restrictions-ahead-of-easter Paxlovid, the oral antiviral pill which helps reduce the risk of hospitalisation from Covid-19 by 90 percent, is set to arrive in Spain in the coming days. https://www.thelocal.es/20220324/first-antiviral-pills-to-treat-covid-19-set-to-be-available-in-spain Thu, 24 Mar 2022 17:52:03 +0100 first-antiviral-pills-to-treat-covid-19-set-to-be-available-in-spain As we approach the two-year anniversary of Spain going into full national lockdown, we take a look back at the most pivotal moments of the pandemic in the country and see how Covid-19 has changed Spanish society. https://www.thelocal.es/20220311/in-images-how-spain-has-changed-through-the-covid-pandemic Fri, 11 Mar 2022 18:31:13 +0100 in-images-how-spain-has-changed-through-the-covid-pandemic As Covid cases continue to decline, all of Spain's regions have now scrapped the use of the Covid pass in most venues. However, they are still required by some regions to access hospitals and care homes. Read on to find out where. https://www.thelocal.es/20211126/map-which-regions-in-spain-now-require-a-covid-health-pass-for-daily-affairs Fri, 26 Nov 2021 15:07:23 +0100 map-which-regions-in-spain-now-require-a-covid-health-pass-for-daily-affairs The Spanish government approved Tuesday an agreement with unions and business groups to extend its furlough scheme for workers affected by the Covid pandemic until the end of March. https://www.thelocal.es/20220222/erte-spain-extends-pandemic-furlough-scheme-to-march Tue, 22 Feb 2022 17:03:53 +0100 erte-spain-extends-pandemic-furlough-scheme-to-march Spain's King Felipe VI has tested positive for Covid-19 but is experiencing only mild symptoms, the Royal House said Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.es/20220209/spains-king-felipe-tests-positive-for-covid-19 Wed, 09 Feb 2022 15:47:58 +0100 spains-king-felipe-tests-positive-for-covid-19 Travellers entering Germany from Spain, Portugal or the United States of America will be subject to stricter travel rules from December 25th. https://www.thelocal.es/20211224/spain-portugal-and-usa-added-to-germanys-high-risk-list Fri, 24 Dec 2021 16:20:12 +0100 spain-portugal-and-usa-added-to-germanys-high-risk-list Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned the population of a "real risk" of a new wave of infections as a result of the more contagious Omicron coronavirus variant and called for preventative measures to be stepped up. https://www.thelocal.es/20211219/spanish-pm-sanchez-calls-for-new-measures-amid-real-risk-of-rising-covid-cases Sun, 19 Dec 2021 18:23:35 +0100 spanish-pm-sanchez-calls-for-new-measures-amid-real-risk-of-rising-covid-cases Children between the ages of 5 and 11 will be able to receive a Covid-19 vaccine from December 15th, Spain's Public Health Commission announced on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.es/20211207/spain-approves-covid-vaccines-for-5-to-11-year-olds Tue, 07 Dec 2021 15:15:30 +0100 spain-approves-covid-vaccines-for-5-to-11-year-olds As Spain’s regions start to require a Covid certificate to enter bars, restaurants and other indoor areas, we look at whether tourists or residents in Spain vaccinated abroad can get the Spanish Covid health pass for daily affairs, and if there are any alternatives or solutions.   https://www.thelocal.es/20211202/how-can-tourists-and-people-vaccinated-abroad-get-spains-covid-health-pass-for-daily-affairs Thu, 02 Dec 2021 16:09:24 +0100 how-can-tourists-and-people-vaccinated-abroad-get-spains-covid-health-pass-for-daily-affairs