Friday. 29.03.2024
PANDEMIC

Sanchez promises to end coronavirus emergency in Spain on 9 May

By Tuesday, around 5.9 million people in Spain had received at least one vaccine dose, and 2.85 million people had already received their second.
06 April 2021, Spain, Madrid: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attends a press conference after the weekly Cabinet meeting. Photo: Europa Press/E. Parra. Pool/EUROPA PRESS/dpa
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attends a press conference after the weekly Cabinet meeting. Photo: Europa Press/E. Parra. Pool/dpa.
In the wake of a significant improvement in the pandemic situation in Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said he does not want to extend the coronavirus state of emergency, which expires on May 9.

"We want May 9 to be the end point," the Socialist politician said after the weekly Cabinet meeting in Madrid on Tuesday.

Sanchez also promised that by the end of August 33 million of the country's total population of around 47 million would have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Three and a half times as many doses would be delivered in the second quarter as in the first three months of the year. "We will join all forces to relentlessly vaccinate and immunize. This is the main task of the government," the prime minister said.

By Tuesday, around 5.9 million people in Spain had received at least one vaccine dose, and 2.85 million people had already received their second.

Due to rapidly rising infection numbers, the parliament had approved a six-month state of emergency in the autumn at the request of the government.

Night-time curfew

Since then, a night-time curfew, among other things, has been in force in almost the entire country.

At the beginning of February, Spain was still one of the countries with the highest infection figures in Europe.

According to official figures, there were about 77 infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days.

In some Spanish holiday regions the situation is even better, with figures of around 26 on the Balearic islands and 16 in Valencia.

Sanchez promises to end coronavirus emergency in Spain on 9 May