elENGLISH Periòdic EDITION NewsT H U 1 7

LIGHTENED RESTRICTIONS FROM FRIDAY Catalonia will integrate Andorra in the Alt Urgell mobility The government will approve the sale of The Executive will define with the comunss the antigen tests by pharmacies this week logistics to distribute the free self-test for Christmas

CONSELL GENERAL / EDUARD COMELLAS EL PERIÒDIC ESCALDES-ENGORDANY @PeriodicAND 32 new positive Catalonia decided cases are confirmed yesterday to equa- up to a total of 7,414 te mobility betwe- en Andorra and Alt Urgell, thus giving Regarding the update of yes- a positive response terday’s33 health data, published by to the request issued jointly by the the Government, 32 new positi- Government, the County Council of ves had been confirmed in the last Alt Urgell and the City Council of La 24 hours, placing the total num- Seu d’Urgell. «This weekend, which ber of infected in the Principa- will go from a municipal to a regio- lity at 7,414. Also, the positive ca- nal perimeter confinement, the Alt ses had been reduced by 18 peo- Urgell region will be allowed to in- ple and were 579. Of these, there clude Andorra, to take into account was one less hospitalized, a total the cross-border reality,» said the go- of 15, and three more patients in vernment spokeswoman Catalan, the ICU, one of whom with a ven- Meritxell Budó, during the press tilator. On the other hand, of the conference after the Executive Co- school population, there were 23 uncil. This decision will apply from classrooms under active survei- Friday in the event that the Spanish llance and 49 under passive sur- government endorses the decision, veillance. Finally, the discharges were 6,756 people, 50 more than the day before. Benazet is «optimistic» about a en very willing to participate» and also that «they have been in a good positive response from mood in the fight against pande- the Spanish government mic». On the other hand, Benazet confirmed that the Executive will to regain mobility have a total of 80,000 tests to distri- bute to the population, and that it a fact that would allow Andorrans is waiting for 70,000 more to arrive. The Minister of Health, Joan Martínez Benazet, together with the President of the Health Commission, Jordi Font. and residents to travel to Alt Urgell So, if they are enough, people will re- 33 over the weekend and the rest of Ca- ceive two instead of one. The general talonia from Monday, in the event very low and that they have a good that a limitation will be established OPERATIONAL WITH THE COMUNS And in councillors were also interested in of that mobility restrictions are not traceability of the positives. on the purchase per person of these relation to the antigen tests /that the the future vaccination against the modified depending on the epide- tests to prevent the stock from run- Executive announced that it would virus, around which the minister miological evolution. TESTS FOR SALE IN PHARMACIES With re- ning out, although he stated that he distribute to the population free of reiterated that thanks to the agre- In this sense, the Minister of He- gard to the issues dealt with/ in the has maintained contacts with the charge as part of the Christmas pro- ements with Spain and France, he alth, Joan Martínez Benazet, sta- commission, the head of Health ad- College of Pharmacists where they tocol, the Minister of Health assured hopes that it can be launched next ted, during the press conference af- vanced to the general councillors have confirmed which have eviden- that he is in communication with January. For this reason, he confes- ter the Health Legislative Commis- that the Government plans to ap- ce. At the same time, he also announ- the comuns in order to define with sed that he felt «optimistic about sion, that «I already said that I was prove today, at the meeting of the ced that for now, a cap on the sale pri- these and the Red Cross the device the spring and summer» in terms optimistic for the positive resoluti- Council of Ministers, the decree that ce of these will not be defined, alt- for delivering the tests. «The comuns of epidemiological developments, on because the conversations were allows the sale of antigen self-tests in hough it will be done later in order know the citizens very well and will as «as we get vaccinated, we will ha- fluid, and I am also optimistic about pharmacies. This decree will be pu- to continue to encourage the strate- be able to register them with a cen- ve a cabin immunization.» In additi- the approval of the Spanish govern- blished urgently and extraordina- gy of «screening, screening and scre- sus number,» said Benazet. In fact, on, without yet having finalized the ment. In addition, Benazet also said rily in the BOPA so that, already this ening». «The government will ensure the Minister took the opportunity logistics, the minister pointed out he felt «calm» about the rise of Co- week, the pharmacies can dispense that it is not a very high price as part to show his gratitude to the corpora- that «the will is to use primary care vid-19 cases in neighbouring terri- the tests. of the public health strategy to con- tions by assuring that, throughout as is done with all vaccination cam- tory, emphasizing that the case is In addition, Benazet explained tain the pandemic,» he confirmed. the pandemic, «the comuns have be- paigns». H www.elperiodic.ad THURSDAY, 17 DECEMBER 2020 el Periòdic News 2

ANDORRA LA VELLA Bet on pedestrians in the area of Riberaygua and Travesseres The municipality of the capital will allocate one million euros to the comprehensive plan for the reactivation and pacification of the space

COMÚ D’ANDORRA LA VELLA/TONY LARA EL PERIÒDIC be before Christmas, we will test if ESCALDES-ENGORDANY it works only as a pedestrian stre- @PeriodicAND et ». In this sense, she considered he Municipality of Andorra that «we are aware that this time is la Vella will allocate one mi- what tourists have not been able to llion euros to the compre- come and therefore there has been Thensive public-private plan less influx, but we still believe that for the reactivation and pacifica- after the test the street will be defi- tion of the Riberaygua and Traves- nitely pedestrian and that this will seres area. The project aims to ena- mean an improvement on the qua- ble many of the streets that corres- lity of life of the citizens». pond to the space in question for Conxita Marsol also considered pedestrians. This was explained by that in relation to the pacification the Consul General of the capital, of the spaces within the area, Calla- Conxita Marsol, who pointed out ueta Street will become a pedestri- that the initiatives integrated into an street and pointed out that the the plan are in line with those that works to make it effective will be- the government team of the parish gin on January 18th and will end has already begun to promote five on March next year: «It will be a stre- years ago: start working with the et for people with the intention of urban improvement and quality of life plan for citizens. For example, we have opened the Central Park Callaueta Street and provided it with more green will be exclusively space, we have opted for connec- tivity on foot between La Margine- for walking and the da and the center of Andorra la Ve- refurbishment will cost lla and we have pacified Avinguda de Tarragona, among other things. 389,000 euros But the most significant action has turning it into a comfortable, plea- sant area, with bars, an area for lei- The consul general sure, etc.». She also added that this explains that the road is one of the least used in the parish, although La Sardana street forecast is that the works crosses it in the middle: «As a result will be completed in of the overhaul, the municipality will work to ensure that this flow of approximately two years vehicles is derived from other stre- ets.» She also said that «in parallel, been on Avinguda Meritxell. « we will turn the area into a zone 30. In this line, Marsol explained There needs to be fewer and fewer that the plan that is expected to be cars circulating. We will also work developed from the beginning of on properly raised superblocks to next year is based precisely on the force vehicles to slow down. objective of establishing the area Finally, she pointed out that mentioned «as the backbone» of the private investment will also me- parish in conjunction with the cen- an that a new, underground one tral axis. To do so, she specified that will be built in the current Fener work will be done «with three large 1 car park, with 800 spaces, some doors.» The first will take place in of which will be rotating. The will Passatge Biscariet: «We have signed of the municipality, as Marsol said, an agreement with the property is that a «project of national inte- that states that the road will be im- rest» can be made and, therefore, proved, a large part of it will be ope- it could be one of the spaces for the ned and the roof will be uncovered The Consul General, Conxita Marsol, and the Consul Minor, David Astrié, visit the area that will be renovated. construction of the national labo- almost completely. There will be an ratory that the Government wants open playground at the top. « The to promote. However, the consul second initiative included in the Agreement to locate Andorra Telecom in the building where The Cloud was located stated that these «fringes» have yet plan will be carried out in the pas- to be closed. sages of Aigüeta and Europa and in Marsol considered that, relating Sant Esteve street, where basically The Consul General of the Mu- that will replace The Cloud: «Fina- set. In addition, the improvement the incidence of Covid-19 in the co- paving work will be carried out. In nicipality33 of Andorra la Vella also lly an agreement has been reached of the space to date has already untry and in the parish to the plan relation to the last route, the Con- explained, in the context of pre- with the Executive to build the of- generated a large influx of people of reforms in the mentioned areas sul General pointed out that gra- senting the plan for the reactiva- fices of Andorra Telecom. The go- to Riberaygua, according to tra- «we thought that it was necessary nite is already being applied and tion and pacification of the area of vernment exhibition hall will also be ders. Finally, she pointed out that to work on it now. It is a great re- the spaces for vehicles have been Riberaygua and Travesseres, that located there. « she said that they the areas surrounding the building form and shows a firm will to conti- removed: «Having ascertained that with the intention of establishing consider that this project will be a will be expanded in favour of citi- nue working and betting on the pa- during the two months that the the center of the parish as part of boost for the commercial life of the zens on foot: «We will get a large rish, the country and its economic works have lasted we had not any the backbone of the capital, one area: «Andorra Telecom receives public space throughout this area, activity. With the work in general, problems, from the day the tasks of the first works to be carried out about 100,000 visits every year, and which we think will be converted jobs are being created and will be are finished, which we believe will will be developed in the building we believe that this is a great as- and function as a hub.» created». H