Spain has declared a national state of emergency - here are the new rules in place

Spain declared a national state of emergency on Sunday 25 October, as cases of coronavirus continue to soar.

The same level of emergency was introduced in April during the first wave of the pandemic, with the country now imposing new rules in an attempt to curb rising infection rates.

What new measures have been introduced in Spain?

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A national nighttime curfew has been introduced in the country, and is in place between the hours of 11pm and 6am.

However, Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, said that different regions would have up to an hour of flexibility if they wanted to modify the duration of the overnight curfew.

There’s also a new limit on public and private gatherings of different households to a maximum of six people.

Local authorities can ban travel between regions, which Mr Sanchez said will likely be dependent on work and medical needs.

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The Prime Minister also said he will ask parliament to extend the new rules to last for six months.

Over half of Spain's 17 regions have been calling for tighter restrictions, with the new measures to apply to all regions except the Canary Islands.

In a televised address, Mr Sanchez said, "The situation we are going through is extreme. It is the most serious in the past half century."

Foreign Office travel advice for Spain

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against “all non-essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic Islands, based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks in the country.”

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The Canary Islands are currently exempt from the FCDO’s advice against all non-essential international travel.

Those returning to the UK from Spain will have to self-isolate for a period of 14 days, apart from those coming from the Canary Islands.

There are also entry requirements in place for those travelling to Spain, including having to provide the Spanish Ministry of Health with mandatory contact information and any history of exposure to Covid-19 48 hours prior to travel, and a temperature check and a visual health assessment on arrival.

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