The increasing vaccination accelerates the rate of de-escalation in Catalonia

Next week the current activity and mobility restrictions will be maintained in Catalonia to contain the covid. But, as of May 9, the scenario will change. The councilors of Health and Interior, Alba Vergés and Miquel Sàmper, advanced yesterday an optimistic perspective on the road to normality. It is possible because the epidemic is stabilized (although in very high numbers) and because vaccination is accelerating. Within a week, a high immunity of those over 60 is expected and that will have an effect on the epidemic.

Thus, although it is necessary to wait eight more days, the Government wanted to transfer to the citizens a less restrictive framework. He announced that on the 9th the restoration hours will be extended until night, insistently demanded by the sector. Dinners can be served indoors (with 30% capacity) and on the terraces (with two meters between tables). In principle, the premises must close at 11 pm and at 10 pm all diners go home due to night confinement.

But, this schedule must be specified. Because, as on the 9th the state of alarm dictated by the Government for all of Spain ends, the curfew, the autonomous confinement (entering and leaving the community) and the meeting limit of six people will leave without legal coverage.

The Government delays until then the change of measures to define them well and win a few more days for the vaccination to advance and the epidemic to lose steam. On Tuesday it will approve a decree that will modify the Public Health law and study other regulations to give legal coverage to the restrictions that affect fundamental rights. Sàmper pointed out that it is necessary to have these legal tools, but that the ideal would be not to have to apply them. However, it did not rule out requiring, like other autonomies, state coverage for certain measures if necessary.

The Government has not decided what it will do with the autonomous confinement and the limit of meetings. If it does not protect them in another rule, the 9 will be annulled. Nor has it been decided on the curfew, if it is suspended or if a night schedule is dictated that would not be at 10 p.m., but at least at 11 p.m. or midnight.

END OF ALARM STATUS

The Government does not know what to do with the curfew, it will depend on how the epidemic goes

It will depend on how the epidemic evolves, which has stalled at more than 10,500 cases a week. And, although the number of hospitalized for covid is reduced, the ucis continue with many patients (489 yesterday); They are down for two days, but it remains to be seen if the trend continues.

Vergés assured that “there should be a hecatomb” so that the 9th could not be opened. “The vaccination forecasts make us optimistic,” he said. Increasing doses (600,000 this week) can help control the epidemic. Salut calculates that by day 9, it could already have 85% of those older than 80 years with the complete vaccination schedule and 80% of those between 70 and 79 and between 60 and 69 with a dose. This would reduce mortality from covid by 50% to 75%, hospitalizations by 30 to 50% and admissions to the ucis by 17 to 37%. The cases would decrease less, 10% or 15% because it is possible that after relaxing the measures in recent weeks, they will rise and vaccination has no effect among those under 60 years of age. Yet. Because if there are no unforeseen events, after these 10 days, you can start immunizing those under 60, according to the councilor. Vaccination accelerates throughout Spain, where more than half a million doses were administered in one day.

Having more vaccines does not require changing the plan. Yesterday, today and tomorrow the vaccination room from the Fira de Montjuïc in Barcelona to give 2,000 injections a day, in this case from Pfizer and to people between 70 and 79 years old. The idea is to repeat it next weekend and then vaccinate every day at that high capacity point.

Regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine, the Secretary of Public Health, Josep Maria Argimon, insisted that Salut is in favor of putting the second doses of this drug, but those who wait for that injection can rest assured; Canada, for example, puts it at 16 weeks. He also explained that the Moderna vaccine will be given to agents of the National Police and the Civil Guard because those of AstraZeneca and Janssen are intended, according to the Spanish vaccination strategy, to people aged 60-69 and 70-79. Argimon reiterated that the agents over 60 who have wanted are vaccinated and the rest would be if the criteria for the use of AstraZeneca had not changed (decision not shared by Salut).

Vergés complained about the “exceptionality” that the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia has intervened in the vaccination of the agents. “Politicizing and judicializing vaccination, which is the hope of the whole of society, seems to me a major scandal,” he said.

OPTIMISM INJECTION

Thanks to the arrival of more doses, it will be possible to start vaccinating those under 60

This weekend is the first without regional confinement and great mobility is expected in Catalonia, with 415,000 vehicles leaving the Barcelona area. On Monday, the playgrounds will no longer have to close at 8:00 p.m. and assemblies of sports entities can be held (at 50% capacity and with a maximum of 500 people, a thousand if ventilation is reinforced). And on the 9th the amusement parks will be able to open, closed since the summer, although PortAventura and Tibidabo planned to do so on the 15th.

The nightlife sector complained that it does not count in the de-escalation. The restaurant manager resigns himself to waiting another week, although he maintains that he could already serve dinners this Monday. With regard to music festivals and sporting events with the public, Salut is in favor of going towards normality, but without leaving the preventions, especially in the entrances and exits. Vergés recalled that the epidemic has not ended.

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