Lanzarote Lockdown

Lanzarote Lockdown – What Does It Mean?

Scroll down to see the full lockdown rules.

We’ll stop updating this article now (24th April) as Lanzarote has begun the process of easing out of Lockdown. Visit this page to find out about Lockdown Easing: The Road Back From Lanzarote Lockdown.

Update 19th April

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addressed the nation on Saturday and confirmed that he will be asking congress for an extension to the special measures until 9th May.

He expressed admiration for the exemplary response of citizens which he said has saved tens of thousands of lives.

He went on to say that the process of recovery from the lockdown will begin on 27th April, when for the first time, children will be allowed outside for the first time since 14th March, accompanied by an adult.

He went on to say that the next five weeks will be one of gradually reducing the lockdown measures and monitoring the effect. He also suggested that different parts of the country would be in different states of alarm.

Update 10th April

The lockdown has officially been extended to 26th April, as expected.

Update 9th April

The extra measures, which required non-essential staff to take paid leave, have come to an end, so non-essential workers may return to work under the same conditions as the original lockdown, which includes working at home if possible, and being able to maintain social distancing if not.

Update 4th April

Pedro Sanchez gave a live broadcast to the nation, and told us he will request a further extension to the lockdown until 26th April. This will be put to congress on Tuesday and we will confirm it then.

He also confirmed that the additional measure asking non-essential workers to stay at home will be lifted on 9th April and they will be able to return to work.

During the speech, he suggested that he is considering an “exit strategy” from the current situation and that his objective is to get Spain back to social and economic normality as soon as it is possible to do so.

Update 29th March 2020

The President has announced an extension to the lockdown rules, which will be confirmed today in a special council of ministers. All non-essential workers are required to take paid leave and stay at home from 30th March until 9th April.

Essential workers – emergency services, telecoms, power and water engineers, medical staff etc will continue to work.

Update 25th March 2020

Useful information here on rescue flights for tourists stuck on the island: Turismo Lanzarote.

Phone numbers for tourists stuck on the island to ask for help: Help for tourists.

Two hotels have been allowed to remain open to tourists who are unable to leave the island. They are:

Apartamentos El Guarapo in Costa Teguise: +34 928 59 05 07

Bungalows Playa Famara in Famara: +34 928 84 51 32

“This is a very difficult time for British nationals who find themselves currently unable to get back to the UK and we welcome this announcement by the Spanish authorities that some hotels and short-stay accommodation will remain open during the state of emergency. Such accommodation is mainly aimed at workers, but there will be options available for British travellers who have not been able to return to the UK yet. Meanwhile we are in close contact with airlines to ensure those of you who wish to return home are able to do so in the coming days. More generally, if you live in the UK and are currently travelling in Spain, you should be making plans to return to the UK while there are still commercial routes available. As ever, stay up to date with the latest information by signing up to alerts at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain and join our BritsinSpain Facebook page www.facebook.com/britsinspain.”

Update 21st March 2020

Message from the British Ambassador:

“As part of the effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the Spanish Government has ordered the closure of all short-stay accommodation by Thursday 26 March. I want to reassure you that the Spanish authorities have told us very clearly that no one will be left without accommodation, however, it does make it even more important that you arrange your return journey as soon as possible. Flights are still operating from Spain to the UK and tens of thousands of British citizens have successfully returned to the UK in the past few days. Do consult your airline’s website for the latest information and if you need to book a new flight you can also try comparison websites. I know that in some places this is proving difficult. We are continuing to liaise with the airlines and Spanish authorities as the situation evolves. We will update our advice regularly. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.” 

Update 20th March 2020

Two hotels, the Gloria Izaro and Aparthotel Rubimar in Playa Blanca, have offered their rooms to The Cabildo to be used, if necessary, to house people with the virus and mild symptoms, who just need to be isolated.

Update 20th March 2020

The tourism minister, Angél Vásquez has estimated there will still be 3,000 tourists on the island after the closure of hotels and tourist accommodation on 26th March. He has assured them that they will not be put onto the streets, and that his team is working in alternatives for them.

Update 19th March 2020

As expected the order referred to below has become law with the publication of the boletin today. This means that hotels and tourist complexes must close by 26th March, seven days from the publication of the boletin.

There is a provision for people staying in totally self contained accommodation, without communal areas, to remain.

Our advice for all tourists still on the island is to arrange to travel to your home country before 26th March. 

Update 18th March 2020

An order (proposal) has been issued, which will become law once it has been confirmed as an official boletin. At that point, hotels and tourist establishments will be required to close until the end of the State of alarm, as soon as any guests have left, or no later than 7 days after the boletin becomes law.

The British foreign office advice for their citizens is now urging them to contact their travel agent or tour operator, if their original stay extends beyond this date, to arrange early flights home. See here.

There is a provision that allows guests to stay on in accommodation, as long as they are self contained, do not use communal areas and were here at the time the state of alarm started (14th March,) and that they adhere to all the current rules of the lockdown.

Currently, there are thought to be around 5,000 tourists still on the island, and the tourism department is seeking an urgent meeting with the President of The Cabildo to discuss what provisions are being made to get them home, or accommodate them after the 24th.

Our advice to foreign tourists is to arrange flights to your home country as soon as you can. Contact your travel agent, tour operator or airline as a first step – they have a duty of care to get you home. As a second step, try to book yourself on any flight to your home country with seats available. As a final step, contact your embassy for help and advice. 

Update 18th March 2020

ITV centres on the island have been ordered to close. Drivers will not be fined for driving a car without an ITV, and there will be a grace period after the lockdown is lifted to enable everyone to get their car tested.

Original Article

For residents of the island and visiting tourists, this article is about giving you information about what is being called The Lanzarote Lockdown. These are a series of emergency measures across Spain, aimed at preventing the spread of Coronavirus.

The bottom line is that all citizens are required by law to remain in their homes as much as possible and the rules will be enforced by police, who are now under central government control. When they cannot avoid being round other people, citizens are asked to maintain at least one metre distance from them.

Here are the key headlines:

  • All businesses are required to make it easy for staff to work from home where possible
  • Citizens can leave their homes individually, on foot or by car for only the following reasons –
  • To buy food
  • To buy medicines or visit a doctor or health centre
  • To travel to and from work
  • To take care of children or elderly relatives
  • To visit the bank
  • To fill up the car at a gas station
  • To travel to the airport to leave the island

Update 25th March – it is possible for two people to travel in a car together, if completely essential, in which case one must travel in the front and the other in the back.

All retail businesses will be closed, with the exception of:

  • Farmacias
  • Shops selling food
  • Those offering medical equipment
  • Vets
  • Newsagents
  • Gas stations
  • Animal feed suppliers
  • IT equipment suppliers

That means bars and restaurants will be closed during the Lanzarote Lockdown (although the latter will be able to continue to offer food for delivery.)

Sports facilities will be closed, as will museums and tourist attractions.

Public transport will continue, but at around 50% of the current services, and buses will not be allowed to travel more than half full to maintain space between passengers.

Taxis will run at half their normal numbers, rotating on odd days. Five seater taxis will carry up to two passengers and seven and nine seater taxis will carry up to three people. The number to call for taxis is  +34 928 52 42 20.

Currently this is set to run until 29th March 2020. We’ll update here whenever there is news.

Stay up to date with Coronavirus news here: Coronavirus in Lanzarote.