Spain again enters ‘extreme risk’ of COVID-19 due to high incidence of infections among young people

Spain was at extreme risk again, with 252 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 inhabitants, with a particular impact on the youngest, the regions are therefore resuming leisure restrictions in an attempt to curb the pandemic, in full summer vacation.

According to the latest data proposed this Wednesday by the Ministry of Health, the national average incidence is 252.1 cases, but it is skyrocketing in young people, with 814 cases between 20 and 29 years and 729 in the 12-19 age group.

Health Minister Carolina Darias admitted at a press conference on Wednesday that the The course of the pandemic has seen a change in trend, with a 137% increase in incidence over the past eight days, booming among the unvaccinated, mainly between 12 and 29 years old, who have more than 600 cases.

Luckily, This increase in infections is not reflected, for the moment, in hospital occupancy, or in deaths, with 17 in the last 24 hours.

RESTRICTIONS ON RETURN TO LEISURE ACTIVITIES

With this data, The health authorities of the different regions, competent in the matter, have started to resume restrictions on leisure activities with limited hours and capacity, as in the case of Galicia (north-east), the Basque Country (north) or Aragon (north).

They also brought to light the famous “Botellón”, massive gatherings of young people in the open air to drink and listen to music, spread all over Spain and that although they are generally prohibited by municipal bylaws, they have always been tolerated.

In this direction, Castilla y León (center) goes further and calls for the resumption of the curfew, which can only be authorized by the Spanish government.

However, the First Vice President of the Executive, Carmen Calvo, today insisted that the autonomous communities (regions) have “at the moment” the instruments to take decisions to fight against the coronavirus, Therefore, there are no plans to re-apply a curfew to deal with the increase in infections.

“What you need to do is continue to vaccinate very quickly “, mainly “to age groups who at the moment have more infections than others”, he said, in relation to young people.

Since the end of June, coinciding with the feast of San Juan, much celebrated in the Spanish Mediterranean regions, and with the end-of-year trips of the students, very traditional in Spain, coronavirus infections have exploded in younger people, linked to nightlife.

MORE TRACERS

Before the buds bloom in the young, it resumes main role is the figure of the trackers, the people who are in charge of locating the direct contacts positive cases to stop the spread of the virus.

The Ministry of Health has offered the regions the possibility of strengthen this service with the staff of the Ministry of Defense and four have already requested it: the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Cantabria and Castilla y León.

In addition, he also made available five million antigen test units to increase selective screening among young people.

PROGRESS OF IMMUNIZATION

All managers agree that To stop the spread of the coronavirus, it is essential to speed up vaccination among the youngest, which are those which are the most delayed, since in Spain an order of age has been followed for vaccination.

Example, Of the 19.5 million people (41.2% of the population) who are vaccinated with the full schedule, those over 80 (2.9 million) are 100% vaccinated, while those between 20 and 29 years (525,000 people) are only 10.6%.

To reduce this lag, some areas have started to inoculate the first doses to young people and adolescents.

(With information from EFE)

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