Lottery street seller Ignacio wears a protective mask as he waits for customers in unusually quiet Preciados street in central Madrid, Spain, March 13, 2020. REUTERS/Sergio PerezSpain has declared a state of emergency as it struggles to deal with one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in Europe.
Pedro Sanchez, the prime minister, said a special cabinet meeting on Saturday would place the country on a "state of alert" which is the first of three stages of a state of emergency,"The government of Spain will protect all its citizens and will guarantee the right life conditions to slow the pandemic with as little inconvenience as possible," Sanchez said.
The period will last at least 15 days and give the government wide-ranging powers, including the ability to confine people and order evacuations. The military will also be mobilized. The number of cases in Spain rose to 4,209 overnight on Thursday, with 120 recorded deaths, making it the second-worst outbreak in Europe after Italy.The Madrid region will also close restaurants, bars and shops from Saturday,The UK Foreign Office on Friday advised citizens against travel to Madrid and the surrounding regions.
Wearing a respirator over a beard is pretty pointless. Speaking as a bearded guy who has really looked into it.