"The Drinking alcohol in public space is forbidden," it sounds from the loudspeaker of the patrol car that drives along the promenade at the Playa de Palma on the vacation island Mallorca rolls. The mostly younger revelers, who squat in groups on the wall of the sea avenue or on the beach, this announcement disturbs little. They make sangria bottles and beer cans disappear temporarily into plastic bags. As soon as the officials are out of sight, the party continues into the early hours of the morning.
This is how it has been going for weeks. Since the nighttime curfew was lifted at the beginning of June, Playa de Palma, Mallorca's most famous entertainment mile, has once again become the biggest Open-air party zone the island become. German-speaking tourists in particular like to party in this beach district, which is also called "Ballermann" because of its many beer gardens and party temples. Thousands of people crowd the streets on these tropical summer nights and drink themselves into the mood together with friends – mostly without masks and without distance.
Mallorca: bans on gatherings and restricted opening hours
Ideal conditions for the Coronavirus, which is again spreading strongly in Mallorca and putting the vacation season in danger. Therefore the island government pulled now the fun brake: The beaches are closed in the future at ten o'clock in the evening. In addition, a nightly ban on gatherings in Mallorca comes into effect, which is tantamount to a party ban. From next weekend, from one o'clock to six in the morning, only people who live together in one household are allowed to meet. This ban applies to the public and private rooms.
There is no exception for tourists, who are again flying to the island en masse this summer. Vacationers are only allowed to be together at these nighttime hours if they are checked into the same hotel room, apartment or vacation home. With this Assembly ban The aim is to put a stop to the out-of-control partying. In order to be legally on the safe side, the island government submitted this resolution still the highest court of justice of the Balearic Islands to the examination.
So that the humid and cheerful events don't turn into the Beer and wine bars the latter now have to let down the rolling grilles earlier. Instead of two o'clock in the morning is in the future also already at one o'clock conclusion. In addition, the number of guests per table is again reduced: Only eight people are allowed to sit together on the outdoor terraces, and only four in the indoor rooms. Everyone must remain well-behaved at the table – dancing and walking around with a glass in hand is prohibited. Stores, by the way, are not allowed to sell alcohol from 10 p.m. already.
High fines threaten
Threatened with violations severe penalties. Anyone who ignores the nighttime party ban can expect to pay a fine of up to 1,000 euros. 2000 euros are due if the person caught is registered with the authorities as a close contact person of an infected person. And 5,000 euros should even be paid by those who test positive and still get into the beer-fueled action.
These new rules are to come to Mallorca:
- In order to combat outdoor parties and drinking bouts, especially among young people, beaches and parks are to be prohibited in future from 22.00 to 6.00 o'clock to be closed.
- Also restaurants must close in Mallorca in the future probably again a little earlier, at 1.00 o'clock instead of 2.00 o'clock.
- A maximum of four people will then be allowed to sit at a table indoors in restaurants, and eight outdoors.
- From 1.00 o'clock to 6.00 o'clock may meet according to the newspaper only persons, who live in the same household.
- Hotel or finca guests checked in together are to be considered one household for this purpose.
Whether the widespread shutdown of nightlife will have the gigantic Corona wave on the island can still be stopped, it remains to be seen. For weeks, the island government had largely stood idly by and watched the virus explode. "The situation is under control," was the official message so far. And: "The vacation on the island is safe."This has probably had little to do with reality in recent days.
The majority of those infected have no or only mild symptoms. But when vacationers become infected, the recovery is nevertheless quickly gone: tourists who tested positive before flying home, for example, reported that they could not reach anyone on the island's Corona telephone hotline and felt abandoned by the authorities. The Quarantine hotel, which was provided for infected tourists, has become so full that a second quarantine hostel has now had to be contracted.
Health authorities are overwhelmed
"Health authorities are overwhelmed with contact tracing," headlines the newspaper Diario de Mallorca. In the Hospitals on the Balearic Islands, occupancy is not yet critical, but the number of covid patients admitted recently rose to more than 200. Non-urgent operations have already had to be postponed because of the increasing prere. The number of island returnees who wake up with covid symptoms after leaving home is also growing.
On Tuesday, the island authorities reported for Mallorca, where theDelta variant is already prevalent, a 7-day incidence of 349 cases per 100.000 inhabitants. The average value for all Balearic Islands, including Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera, was even 371. This means that Mallorca is now one of the European vacation areas with the most highest contagion rate. Experts are already warning that Mallorca is on its way to becoming the Ischgl of Europe this summer.