We seem to have turned the corner...the number of cases of the coronavirus on the island continue to fall. Infact, we are no longer at extreme risk. So if you were Balearic President Francina Armengol, would you ease the lockdown? Would you allow bars and restaurants to reopen, or at least their terraces? Would you allow the big shopping centres to re-open? These are all big questions and unfortunately there is no simple answer. Armengol has said that there will be no “quick-reopening. “ Despite all the criticism which has been levelled at our President, this is a sensible approach. Her government has made it clear that they are not going to risk public health by allowing businesses to re-open.
My feeling is that the restrictions will remain until the end of the month (at least). Providing that the number of cases remain low then I suspect there will be a gradual re-opening probably allowing bars and restaurants to open their terraces. I suspect that the curfew will remain until next month. Meanwhile the vaccination programme will continue. I also believe that Armengol does deserve some credit. In the face of growing criticism she stood her ground and pushed ahead with the restrictions. Her list of problems is large. Apart from Covid and the its economic impact, her coalition government is split over her handling of Covid and she is facing growing criticism over the number of senior officials who have had the vaccine.