ARCHIVED - Valencia government calls for maximum caution as new restrictions come into force

"There can't be a policeman for every person" warns regional president as curfews imposed in 18 municipalities in Alicante province.

President of Valencia's regional government, Ximo Puig, has again called for maximum caution to control a fifth wave of the pandemic and warned that "this is about co-responsibility, there can not be a policeman behind every individual", as a number of new restrictions come into force.

From today, Monday, July 26 until at least August 16, social and family gatherings are restricted to a maximum of 10 people and capacity at sporting and other events is limited to 50 per cent across the whole region, with 1am to 6am curfews in 77 municipalities, including 18 in Alicante province.

A major problem facing police is the continued gathering of young people drinking in the street and on beaches, known as botellones, an issue which Puig assures "there are sufficient police to deal with", while stressing, however, that this shouldn't need to be the case.

"While police have made a great effort (to control botellones), co-responsibility must be exercised," urges Puig, warning young people are not immune.

"Some of the recent deaths in the Valencian Community had refused to be vaccinated and they were young people. Be careful, this pandemic is terrible and affects all those who do not have protection," adds the president.

Along with imposing fines of up to €30,000 for holding and taking part in illegal parties, a ban on the sale of alcohol in shops and supermarkets after 8pm was enforced two weeks ago, but this has now been extended to 10pm after it was found "the measure has not had the desired positive effect on limiting botellones".

As for the rest of the restrictions, in principle, they will be in force until August 16, with the government claiming that the curfew initially imposed in 32 towns, the majority of which are in the province of Valencia, has led to a "slight flattening of the curve" in those areas.

Two months ago, the Valencia region had the lowest 14-day cumulative incidence rate in Spain, with 26 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. But this has changed drastically over the last eight weeks, and it now has the ninth highest rate in the country with 541 cases. The national average is 659.

IMAGE: GVA 112 CV