01-Apr-21: 'Catalonia enters uncertain Easter holiday, with authorities fearful of new outbreaks'

Catalonia enters an uncertain Easter holiday period, with authorities fearing that increased mobility could lead to a fourth wave of contagion and renewed lockdown measures. Over three hundred thousand vehicles are expected to leave the Barcelona area for the Easter holiday, usually one of the year’s busiest periods. With some European countries battling the third wave of the pandemic, hotels expect mainly local tourists, who are allowed to travel with members of their social bubble. In contrast, the airport of Barcelona was almost empty, with 80% fewer flights than on a regular year. Catalonia inoculated more than eighty thousand people with a Covid jab on Wednesday, a new daily record since vaccinations started three months ago. However, figures from Spain’s health ministry show that Catalonia has vaccinated only half of its population over the age of 80 with one dose. That makes it the worst among Spain’s 19 regions and territories.  Google has become the latest, and biggest, tech firm to cancel its in-person attendance of the Mobile World Congress, due to be held in Barcelona next summer. Other companies pulling out over coronavirus concerns include Facebook, Sony, BT and Nokia. After canceling the previous edition and delaying this year’s event, organizers assure the fair can be held safely. The beaches of Calafell, between Barcelona and Tarragona, have welcomed a very special visitor. The Kentish plover, or "corriol camanegre" as it is known in Catalan, have returned for a second year straight, after three decades since their last nesting. With many tourists visiting the town for Easter, authorities urge them to respect the environment   / ACN

ACN

First published: April 1, 2021 07:49 PM