MADRID, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Spain's Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Nadia Calvino on Monday said that the government was not contemplating the "total closure" of all economic activities as a measure to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
In a televised press conference, Calvino ruled out shutting down all of the country's industry, explaining that some sectors were vital in the struggle to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The chemical and pharmaceutical industries have to keep on working in order for hospitals to be able to function," she said.
"Transport has to continue working so that health workers can get to work; the textile sector has to continue to supply material to the health service and the agricultural sector has to continue supplying food," explained Calvino.
"We are in a situation where we are guaranteeing those essential activities," she said.
The minister explained that "economic activities have already slowed down a great deal." In Spain, economic activities are "being redirected to essential activities … Industry is working to produce the things needed to cover the sanitary crisis," she said.
Calvino also stressed the need for safety on a day when it was confirmed by the Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Services that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases had risen to 33,089 and the number of deaths had climbed to 2,182 in Spain.
"It is very important for workers to have the necessary means of security at their disposal, so they can continue with their activity and Spain doesn't stop," she said, adding that banks were remaining open so elderly people could have access to their money.
Finally, Calvino commented that the government's aim was for the coronavirus crisis to be "as short as possible and for us to cover the economic and social impact well, providing a safety net for everyone so that we can return to a phase of economic growth as soon as possible."
Sunday saw Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez confirm that he was asking for a 15-day extension of the "state of alarm" in Spain until April 11.
A "state of alarm" is the first of three emergency levels a Spanish government can declare under exceptional circumstances. The other levels are a "state of exception" and "martial law". A "state of alarm" grants the government special powers to limit the movement of citizens, control the means of production, use private assets if needed, and deploy the military to carry out essential logistical and supply jobs.
