The communities continue without contemplating the de-escalation, but the vaccination plan continues
The infection rate continues to decline, but not the number of deaths or the pressure on the ICU that is reduced very slowly so the communities do not contemplate de-escalation, immersed in a vaccination plan which has begun its second phase with the immunization of those over 80 years of age who live at home.
With a cumulative incidence below the 400 cases per one hundred thousand inhabitants (385.6) and 10,057 new positives, the total number of infections now amounts to 3,096,343. However, the death toll, 530 more, is still very high, as is the hospital pressure, especially in intensive care where the occupancy drops tenth to tenth and stands at 37.3 percent, only five tenths less.
The number of people who have already received the complete guideline throughout Spain exceeds one million (1,096,922), according to the latest Health data. Over the past two days, the communities have administered 62,904 vaccines against covid, of which 26,831 are second doses from Pfizer and Moderna. Since the start of the vaccination plan, the autonomous regions have inoculated 2,624,512 sera, 90 percent of the doses received. With the second phase of the vaccination plan for those over 80 years old and essential, the communities are now debating whether to take vaccination to mass stages to make it massive.
To this, Health has already said that it does not see it necessary to vaccinate in large areas with the current rate of administration of sera, it remains to be seen if the communities will have to resort to it when the speed of immunization increases in the coming months. Vaccination plan that yesterday suffered a setback after Moderna's announcement to cut February deliveries in half, 200,000 doses compared to the 400,000 planned, although it has promised to compensate for the reduction in March. Meanwhile, the Council of Ministers has approved the agreement to purchase an additional 2.8 million doses of Pfizer's vaccine, which will be delivered in April.
In a scenario in which the decline in infections is not accompanied by the death toll that remains very high, communities such as Andalusia or Castilla y León have ruled out relaxing measures at least in the short term.
For a month Castilla y León had advanced the curfew at eight in the afternoon when yesterday the Supreme Court issued a car for which it is suspended, so that a mobility restriction cannot be imposed before 22.00. In Andalusia, the Minister of Health, Jesús Aguirre, has made it clear that there will be no de-escalation measures until control of the pandemic is “fully consolidated”. In the Valencian Community, its president Ximo Puig has insisted that the priority is to save lives, jobs and companies, "in this order." Asturias is in the same line. The Government of the Principality asks to be prudent so as not to repeat the "mistakes" of Christmas for Easter. Nor is Galicia considering a generalized de-escalation.
Catalonia does plan to relax the restrictions as of Monday, in view of the fact that epidemiological data evolve favorably. This has been expressed by the acting Minister of the Presidency, Meritxell Budó, who has reported that between today and Friday the possible relaxation of restrictions will be agreed. The Community of Madrid also plans to announce it this week. In principle, it is considering reducing the curfew band from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and easing restrictions on hotels and businesses.
More than 10,000 new positives
The Ministry of Health has reported 10,057 new positives, which brings the total number of infections to 3,096,343, and 530 more deaths since Monday, a figure that is still very high but is lower than that registered a week ago, when 766 deaths were reported. The accumulated incidence in 14 days has once again registered a notable decrease -31 points- and stands at 385.65 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, a figure similar to that registered in the first week of January. According to Health, the pressure in the ucis continues to drop, although very slowly and tenth to tenth, and yesterday they had an occupancy of 37.3% (five tenths less than the day before yesterday), while in plant it is 15.35% (one point less). Communities have reported 1,290 deaths to Health in the last seven days, bringing the total number of deaths to 65,979 since the start of the pandemic. Of the total infections reported to date, 3,857 have been confirmed in the last 48 hours. The cumulative incidence per 100,000 inhabitants in fourteen days continues the decline that began on January 28, when it was 899 cases. Yesterday it dropped to 385.6, a figure similar to that of January 8 (350).
