RESTAURANTS and cafes opened for the first time in two and a half months today as the lockdown continued to be released.

Shops will now be able to open from 9am to 7pm too, with the same public health measures set in place during Phase Two.

The total amount of cases recorded in Gibraltar are 19, 12 which are the Gibraltar residents and seven cross-frontier workers.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo revealed that all but one of the new positives have been from the frontline random sample.

However, he said that ‘it would be surprising if there had been no increase in cases’ as testing was increased.

“The important thing to note is that these individuals either had no symptoms or were mildly symptomatic,” added Picardo.

He reminded that it was still possible that the lockdown would return although it is not something he would want.

However, this would only be considered if there were five working days of positive cases with ten to 20 cases per day with many of those in hospital.

The medical advice the Chief Minister gave was to ‘stay at home’ as much as possible because ‘coronavirus is still very much among us’.

Despite this, larger amount of people were flooding the streets today, with less thought for social distancing.

Casemates
COMEBACK: Casemates could be getting back to a certain element of normality soon

New normal

Picardo revealed that the Major Incident started in March ended at midday today.

It means that the Civil Contingencies Act is no long active, with the command structure at different levels being dissolved.

Social gatherings of more than 12 are still banned and groups under that number still need to observe social distancing.

This was the main reason why the demonstration outside the Convent Place was illegal today, said the Chief Minister.

Restaurants and cafes will have to operate at a maximum of half full, with pre-booking being a legal requirement.

“You will be required to provide your name and contact number when booking,” reported Picardo.  

“This is so that we are able to contact you in the event that someone who has tested positive attended the same establishment and was sat near you.

“We would encourage that everyone in your party should also volunteer their names and contact numbers too.

“Although not a legal requirement, it is so that the contact tracing bureau might also be able to get in touch with them more quickly and more easily.”

Bars and drinking areas of restaurants are still closed until Phase Four on June 16.

Checking privileges

Buses are now servicing all their routes again, with the passengers required to wear masks while using them.

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BUSSING IT: The familiar red buses will start to pick up passengers if they use masks

Sports like netball, basketball and hockey are back on today too, with some children being allowed back to school.

The antibody blood test will be tried on frontline health workers, to then be extended to the rest of the community in the future.

Line Wall Road, Chatham Counterguard and Europort Avenue are starting to be pedestrianised, although Picardo said this would be done ‘gently’.

Picardo said that a barbecue permit could be introduced to stop people who did these parties leaving the remains behind when they finished.

“You really, really should clear up after yourselves,” he insisted.

“It is just unacceptable for you not to.

“As usual in so many instances, the idiots will spoil it for the rest of us.”

Finally, the Chief Minister said that talks were still ongoing to allow Gibraltar residents to be excluded from the UK quarantine.

There still did not seem to be any date when local residents could enter Spain, either, with the need to remain on the Rock for now.

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