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Further changes to COVID-19 restrictions

The Government has announced that as the result of the successful vaccination programme and latest infection rates, the relaxation of COVID-19 measures can continue as planned.

Accordingly, the regulations on restrictions of gatherings will lapse today Friday 16th April when it ceases to have effect. Although the regulations on restrictions on gatherings have lapsed, other regulations remain in place.

Further relaxation measures will also allow for the return of spectators and audiences to sporting and cultural events gradually. Initially there will be 50% capacity until Friday 30th April, moving onto 66% capacity up to the 14th May, when we should hopefully return to full capacity as long as the cases remain at very low levels. Most of the permit conditions have now been removed meaning that gyms and places of worship can now operate under the responsibility of their own management and following general Public Health guidelines.

A statement continued: “The relaxation measures will also allow for restaurants and the catering establishments to have live music and DJs. Certain restrictions remain key in ensuring that we must be mindful to the fact that the pandemic is still with us, like contact tracing, staff monitoring and regular cleaning and sanitising.

“Masks will only be required to be worn in retail shops, health services including private clinics, construction works inside dwelling and offices, buses and taxis, funeral services inside a place of worship and staff from restaurants, cafes and bars will also be required to wear a single mask, until the 1st May when this will be reviewed.

“As we move forward, Public Health Gibraltar has issued ‘Best Practice Guidelines for a Post Vaccination World’ which can be found on the Public Health Gibraltar website using the following link: https://healthygibraltar.org/news/best-practice-covid-guidance/. It is important that Public Health advice is followed as we continue to move to a more normal pattern of behaviour, remem- bering that the world is facing another wave and the risk of new variants is still very much out there.”

Minister for Health, Samantha Sacramento, said: “I am extremely pleased that the vaccina- tion programme has allowed us to continue to ease restrictions. However, we need to remain alive to the situation around and note that things could change at a moment’s notice. We must therefore be prudent and not allow all the good work go to waste and we can do our own part by following Public Health advice in a post vaccination world.”