Will it be possible to have Easter holidays in 2021? Right now we are one of the 10 countries with the most COVID-19 deaths, and although we are at the bottom of this very undesirable list, things can change.
With Easter approaching (when are the Easter holidays in 2021? They start on Sunday 28 March and end on Saturday 3 April) and the travel measures imposed by various European governments, it's hard to imagine a relaxed trip.
We've circled the start of the Easter holidays in red on the calendar, because for millions of Spaniards they will be the first "proper" holidays in a long time (or will they?).
There are still doubts about whether travel within the country and abroad will be allowed. Although the 2021 Easter holidays are just around the corner, it's still unclear how things will work.
For most children, the Easter holidays start on Saturday 27 March, as Friday 26 will be the last school day. The holiday period ends on Sunday 4 or Monday 5 April, depending on the region where you live.
Pros of lifting all restrictions
For the emotional wellbeing of Spanish citizens, lifting restrictions would mean greater freedom to travel during the Easter holidays with children.
From an economic point of view, it would certainly give a huge boost to all the sectors linked to tourism: hotels, airports, trains, car rental companies, excursion organisers, etc.
We could picture a rush of travellers across Spain and Europe, generating billions of euros in revenue.
But would it really be that good?
Cons of lifting all restrictions
Last Christmas showed us that when prevention and safety measures were relaxed, the situation worsened dramatically and tragically.
The Government wants to prevent a new wave of the pandemic from hitting us again and, although the start of the Easter holidays is less than two weeks away, mobility restrictions remain in place until further notice in the regions that have them (such as Asturias, Andalusia, Cantabria, Catalonia, Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León, among others).
Lifting all restrictions could mean an unstoppable rise in infections and very likely deaths among vulnerable people or those with underlying conditions. The health service would inevitably collapse and the virus would spread out of control.
That said, if some regions have no perimeter closure, it would be better to travel to them at Easter and spend a few days away from home (with the appropriate protective measures).
The pandemic has left us frustrated and longing to return to normal. We'll get there when it's possible and poses no risk to people. Responsibility will be required from each and every one of us.
Right now it doesn't seem so important to know when the Easter holidays are. With reasonable certainty, many of us will spend those days at home.
