Madrid premier Isabel Díaz Ayuso of the Popular Party was meant to announce the new measures at 11.30 am, but the news conference was pushed back until 1 pm, and then called off. It was not until 5 pm that the politician appeared before reporters at the headquarters of the Madrid government.

September the 18th has been the marker point for government to risk assess the recent spikes in the battle of the Coronavirus, with as previously earlier in the year, action taken first in Madrid.

“There are 37 basic health areas where the incidence is very high, over 1,000 for every 100,000 people in the last 14 days, and we are forced to take a series of measures in these specific areas,” said Díaz Ayuso. “These areas have particularly high population density and connectivity. We need above all measures to ensure that quarantines are observed.”

According to Díaz Ayuso, both the central and regional governments are going to work together to contain transmission in the region. “We have to avoid a state of alarm at all costs. And above all we need to avoid confinement, an economic disaster,” said the regional premier. “The head of Spain’s government is not coming here as a guardian of the Madrid region, but to cooperate with it.”

According to the regional authorities, the delay was “exclusively due to the complex legal assessment” that was required before the measures could be included in the health department’s new order. Sources close to the Madrid government said that the meeting prior to the news conference had not been “easy” or “relaxed.”

Ayuso will now meet with Spain’s Prime Minister Sanchez on Monday, planned for midday.

Share on your Social Networks