Spanish campsite offers guests on-the-spot COVID-19 tests to stay without masks or social distancing

A beachside camping and caravan park in Spain is to become one of the first in Europe to offer coronavirus-free accommodation for guests if they take an on-site COVID-19 test.

Camping Trillas Platja Tamarit, in the province of Tarragona, has designated an "ultra-safe area," inspired by a South Korean model to generate safe places.

The holiday venue will subsidise part of the medical tests and follow-up, with customers contributing an extra 100 euros.

Only clients who give a negative test will be able to stay in the "Paradise" zone in the mountain area with views of the beach. 

The special zone will have about 40 mobile homes and ten pitches for a caravan, motorhome or tent.

The owners say they will fast-track the coronavirus test which normally takes 48 hours to come back from the lab into just six hours. 

The clients will have to wait in a special area until the result is known, wearing masks and observing social distancing.

Anyone who tests positive must leave the campsite and go to hospital or take immediate isolation measures.

According to the company, this project allows the essence of the human relations, one of the greatest attractions of the 'camping experience', without masks or fear of approaching other people."

The ultra-safe zone will include a sports area, swimming pool, restaurant, entertainment, etc, and will be operational in the second half of July.

A company spokesperson said: "The fact that this campsite has large open spaces has been key to launching this project and creating differentiated areas."

Trillas says it would be impossible to guarantee 100 per cent safety but believes the  project "makes it feasible to enjoy a vacation experience in camping in complete freedom, without additional security measures."

The rest of the accommodation at the camping site will be subject to extensive coronavirus safeguards and meticulous hygiene measures.

Around 55 beaches in southern Spain’s Andalucia region were closed during the weekend, as they struggled to maintain social distancing.

While the majority are thought to have reopened yesterday, it is the third week in a row that beaches have had to close.

Last month, police were forced to turn people away from beaches across the Costa del Sol, while a handful of beaches along the Costa de la Luz shut by lunchtime due to high volumes.

The country has also announced a wave of new regional lockdowns due to a spike in coronavirus cases.

People in Segria, a region of over 400,000 people near Barcelona, will not be able to leave the area until further notice.

Regional health ministry data showed there were 3,706 cases in the Lleida region on Friday, up from 3,551 the previous day.

While they won't be confined to their homes, unlike earlier restrictions, locals will need a certificate to be able to leave the area.

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