In Spain almost everything is like before Covid.

Shortly before the Easter holidays it is difficult to find a hotel room at all.

Last year, domestic tourists saved the season, now more and more foreign holidaymakers are returning – only a good tenth less than last Easter before the pandemic.

Before the holidays began, around 2000 flights with around 250,000 passengers were handled at Palma de Mallorca Airport on the first weekend in April.

Hans Christian Roessler

Political correspondent for the Iberian Peninsula and the Maghreb based in Madrid.

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In Spain, the only thing left from the corona restrictions is the mask requirement, which applies indoors, on public transport and at major events with a standing audience.

One reason why the Spanish government is going further than most other European countries in lifting the remaining rules is the high vaccination rate: almost 85 percent of Spaniards now have full vaccination protection, and 52 percent of those over 40 have received a booster .

In most cases, Covid is now treated just like a flu or a cold.

The government sees itself as a pioneer and role model for the rest of Europe.

Incidence figures only twice a week

Anyone traveling to Spain will therefore look in vain for the current Covid incidence.

The authorities have stopped counting and publishing new infections every day.

At the end of March, the seven-day incidence was just over 200 cases with a continuing downward trend.

Now the number of cases for the risk group of over 60-year-olds are only announced twice a week.

An important indicator is now the occupancy of the hospital beds with corona patients.

Stricter measures only come into force again when the proportion exceeds the limit of five percent in the regular wards and ten percent in the intensive care units.

Recently, less than five percent of Covid patients were in the intensive care units;

their number is also declining.

Close surveillance had already broken down at the height of the most recent omicron wave.

Above all, it had tied up capacities in the healthcare system, which were much more urgently needed to treat the sick.

It is to be replaced by a monitoring system based on random samples, which Spain has been using successfully for more than twenty years with the flu.

Selected health centers, medical practices and clinics across the country report the relevant data, which is then extrapolated.

But the new Covid network is not yet available.

Experts warn that it is dangerous to rely too much on the number of corona patients in hospitals.

If they increase noticeably in the clinics, the virus has already spread widely to the rest of the population.

In view of the high number of unreported cases and the test fatigue, it is still too early for far-reaching easing.

However, that did not stop the government from being the first EU member state to abolish the isolation of infected people who have no or only mild symptoms a good week ago.

They are only advised to wear masks, reduce their contacts and be particularly considerate of members of risk groups.

Infected people are allowed to work, shop and go to the beach.

If you feel healthy enough, you can go to your workplace, even if working from home is recommended.

At the same time, it is planned to no longer test all suspected cases.

Tests are only planned for more severe cases if the doctor deems it necessary.

This also applies to the risk groups and the nursing staff.

Only people who are at risk of severe illness should continue to isolate themselves.

However, anyone who flies to Spain or returns home will continue to be checked in the future.

Before entering Spain, travelers arriving by air or sea must fill out the government digital health form and present the QR code generated in the process.

The prerequisite is a 3-G certificate, which also remains mandatory for entry into Germany.

Those who test positive are not allowed to fly.