The Balearic government has ruled out the addition of a fifth day over the festive period when there will be slight relaxations of the current coronavirus measures.
Health minister Patricia Gómez said on Thursday that the four days when family gatherings can be increased from six to ten people - Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day - were "a gift". At the moment, she added, "it would not be prudent to extend this to a fifth day", the relaxation on the four days also entailing a later curfew (1.30am rather than midnight).
The fifth day would be Boxing Day, but the agreement with the national ministry of health was for the four days only. There had been some discussion at Wednesday's meeting of the Inter-Territorial Council for the Health System regarding a fifth day in the Balearics, but Gómez has clarified that "we support allowing four days, although this does not satisfy everyone".
Even if the epidemiological situation were to improve, Gómez explained that the agreements with the national ministry were "binding in terms of mobility, the closure of regions' borders, the number of people who can gather and the curfew". "We must be consistent. For the 26th, arrangements will be as they are - being prudent and taking care. Let's think about a different Christmas."