The Government launched on 2 May the first steps to expedite the containment step by step. Only municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants remained outside the time limits established by activities and ages. As of Monday, the municipalities with less than 10,000 inhabitants will also have no time limit. The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, has communicated this measure to the regional presidents at their meeting on Sunday.

Use of face masks

Also on Sunday, ministers Maria Jesús Montero and Salvador Illa have announced that “in the coming days” the government will regulate when and under what conditions the masks will be mandatory in the public space. Nowadays, the use of face masks is only essential in public transport. Ministers have only advanced that the regulation of the use of Euskera "will strengthen the use of Euskera".

Conditions for the second phase

The measures for the second phase have also been published in the Saturday BOE. There are many changes: groups of up to fifteen people will be able to go out into the street together, bars will be able to welcome people inside, restaurants, department stores, cinemas or theatres, among others. Specific limits and conditions are set in the BOE to ensure safety measures for each type of activity and space. The Basque Government has made public its request to move from the first to the second phase next week.