This Thursday the Public Health Commission meets to address the update of the document on Coordinated response actions to face the covid-19 pandemic of October 22, known as the ‘Health traffic light’, in which it is contemplated the toughening of the recommendations to be adopted based on the different alert levels of the autonomous communities.
Darias resigns from proposing firmer measures and reminds communities that they can toughen them up for Easter
According to the draft that has been prepared since March 3 by the Alerts Report of the Ministry of Health, advanced in Cadena Ser , the option of closing the interiors of hospitality establishments in those territories that exceed an incidence of 150 cases for each 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days.
This draft must be ratified this Thursday in the Public Health Commission and from there it will be derived to the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System, in which the Ministry and Communities will have to give the final approval. In any case, it does not appear that it will be approved before Easter.
According to the latest version of this document , dated October 22, 2020, alert level 3, with incidents of between 150 and 250 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days, provided that ” the health authority must assess the closure of the interior areas of the establishments, and failing that, reduce the capacity to the minimum possible and prohibit consumption in bars “.
However, in the recent update under debate, this measure is tightened and recommends to the Communities that in those territories at alert level 3 and 4, that is, with incidents of 150 cases , the service in interior areas of establishments .
Total closure if the incident exceeds 500
Among other novelties, there is also the introduction of the capacity limit on terraces, which is set at 50%, and “time limits” are established. In addition, reads the draft, ” if the trend is upward and exceeds 500 cases per 100,000, closure of the establishment allowing only the collection and delivery service for home consumption .”
At alert level 4, the new draft proposes to ” postpone any type of ceremony” in reference to weddings, baptisms and communions , and reduce the capacity to a maximum of 10 people in closed spaces at alert level 3.
Within the general measures on social and family relationships, the update of this document includes a maximum of four people (except for groups of cohabitants) in meetings both in the public and private spheres in areas with alert level 4, that is , with incidences of 150 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days.
Likewise, for alert level 3, it is urged to “limit social contacts outside the stable cohabitation group as much as possible” and restrict social gatherings to a maximum of six people.
Other proposed novelties refer to work: it is requested to promote telework “especially in levels 3 and 4, avoid meeting to eat or drink “, a paragraph that was not included in the October document.
According to the latest report from the Ministry of Health published this Wednesday, the cumulative incidence at 14 days is at the national level at 132 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, but there are five autonomous communities above 150 cases : Asturias (159), Catalonia ( 172), Madrid (228), Navarra (185) and the Basque Country (199), as well as the autonomous cities of Ceuta (253) and Melilla (5119.