Meeting to coordinate safety and control measures ahead of Formentera’s passage to Enhanced Tier 4 of public health alert

As Formentera prepares to enter “Enhanced Tier 4” of public health alert on Saturday 30 January, decision makers held a special meeting to coordinate controls and patrols by local law enforcement, the Formentera Inspections Department and the Balearic department of emergency services and inspections.

Among the attendees of the part-face-to-face, part-virtual gathering were Consell chair Alejandra Ferrer, interior chief Josep Marí, inspection services chief Antonio J. Sanz, members of local law enforcement and representatives of the regional health department’s emergency and inspection services.

According to Ferrer, meeting participants reviewed infection data, including places and modes of transmission detected so far. “Based on this information we’ve put in place a coordinated strategy for the days ahead to keep residents and business owners informed and perform controls to make sure the new ‘Enhanced Tier 4’ measures are respected”, she said.

Attendees of the meeting agreed on the importance of tightening controls to ensure individuals who test positive or close contacts stay home.

Controls on social and family gatherings
Consensus was also struck regarding the need for special controls on social and family gatherings, which, according to data from recent weeks, are the largest source of new infections and flare-ups. Ferrer announced that from Saturday individuals not living in the same home could no longer gather, indoors or out, and asked islanders to be “especially responsible over the next two weeks. Don’t meet with people outside your household unit: that’s how we’ll protect each other, swiftly reduce new infections and get our social lives and our economy back on track.”

Sealing off the island
As for closure of entry and exit points on the island, forces of order reported that islanders have complied with related measures. The “perimetric sealing-off” will remain in force for two weeks.

Lastly, meeting attendees spoke about fines for Covid rule-breakers and ways to simplify protocol for processing them.

28 January 2021
Communications Department
Consell de Formentera