- Title: Spain will impose partial coronavirus lockdown - PM
- Date: 14th March 2020
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (MARCH 14, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DELIVERY RIDER RIDING HIS BIKE ON EMPTY STREET IN CENTRAL MADRID EMPTY STREET TRAFFIC LIGHT CHANGING FROM GREEN TO RED EMPTY STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR, LEOPOLDO AGRAZ, ON THE CHALLENGES OF BEING CONFINED TO THE HOME, SAYING: "Yes, depending on the circumstances, in some cases more than others of course. Whoever has to work at home, like some colleagues I have at the university, with five children at their side, is going to have a hard time giving online classes and attending the five children. It's going to be difficult." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MADRID STUDENT, CARLOS LOSA, SAYING: "The truth is it's necessary. It is necessary because I believe that the spread of the coronavirus had to be stopped and well, I am worried about the economy, how this will affect the next few months." MAN CROSSING THE STREET EMPTY BUS DRIVING IN CENTRAL MADRID PEOPLE WALKING ON THE STREET MAN PASSING BY ON EMPTY STREET MAN RUNNING AND CROSSING THE STREET
- Embargoed: 28th March 2020 21:12
- Keywords: COVID-2019 Spain national emergency Spain's PM Pedro Sanchez coronavirus
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA002C50WY13
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Spain will put its 47 million inhabitants under partial lockdown as part of a 15-day state of emergency to combat the coronavirus epidemic, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday (March 14) in a televised address to the nation.
All Spaniards will have to stay home except to buy food, medicines, go to the hospital or to work or for other emergencies, with some limits on the freedom of movement starting already on Saturday, he said.
Sanchez said he was aware the measures will have a major impact on citizens and businesses but promised the government would do all it can to mitigate the impact.
Bars, restaurants, shops selling anything but food and other basic staples, conference centres and all leisure and sports activities - including cinemas, theatres, swimming pools or football grounds - will be shut down.
Public transport will be curtailed, with medium-distance rail operators ordered to reduce their services.
The decree does not, however, foresee closing the country's borders.
Spain's Interior Ministry will control all police forces, including local and regional ones, under the 15-day emergency, and the armed forces would be on stand-by to help if needed.
The health and transport ministries would also have nationwide reach, taking over some local or regional powers, according to the plan, which Catalan and Basque leaders immediately criticized after it was leaked as a draft.
Spain is the second hardest-hit country in Europe after Italy, with 193 deaths and 6,250 cases so far, public broadcaster TVE said, well up from 120 deaths reported on Friday (March 13).
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