At Monday's cabinet meeting, the Balearic government approved making the Covid certificate a requirement for entering bars and restaurants with interior capacities of 50 or more. The government will now forward this to the Balearic High Court for ratification. The measure is due to come into force this Friday (December 3) and be effective until January 24, 2022.
Until now, this has been a requirement only for discos and care homes for the elderly. The certificate is for proving double vaccination, having had Covid or a negative PCR test within 48 to 72 hours prior to entering an establishment.
The government has established three levels of health alert and the corresponding requirements for the certificate. At present, the Balearics are at health alert one. Therefore, and in addition to bars and restaurants (which include those in hotels), dance halls and care homes, the certificate will be needed for sports facilities (gyms, for instance), recreational centres for the elderly. and gambling and betting venues. The capacity of fifty or more applies to all these.
The Pimem federation of small to medium-sized businesses estimates that some 2,500 bars and restaurants will be affected.
Pimem is represented on the government's Social Dialogue Table with the Confederation of Balearic Business Associations and unions. At its meeting on Monday, support for the Covid passport measure was given.
As to health alerts two and three, the use of the certificate would be extended to places essentially similar to those for health alert one. These include tourist establishments where there are rooms for shared use, cinemas and circus tents.