The island of Tenerife rises to Level 4 of health alert and will have to advance its closing time until midnight, but its capacity may remain as it has been so far: 33% indoors and 75% outdoors. In this way, the Executive intends to limit “the movement of citizens” at a time when the virus is spreading without restraint on the island; while avoiding “effects on economic activity.”
In general, all capacity related to establishments and activities in the Canary Islands are established at 33% indoors and 50% outdoors. However, there will be some sectors that benefit from improvements over this limit. This is the case of the cultural sector, which will be able to continue operating at 55% indoors and 75% outdoors, or the hotel industry itself, which will be able to keep its terraces at 75%. The limit of six people who can stay in the same group is also maintained at level 4 and the restrictions on entry and exit to and from the island are eliminated.
The increased incidence on La Palma and Lanzarote leads both islands to level 3
As explained by the Minister of Health, Blas Trujillo, in the press conference after the Governing Council, this modulation of the regulations is based on the fact that the current situation is far from what was lived in summer, basically because there is a greater percentage of the vaccinated population – it already reaches 80.7% of the target population. Trujillo also highlighted that many activities and venues are subject to the obligation to request the covid certificate as an entry requirement. It should be noted that this measure is mandatory in levels 3 and 4, while it is voluntary in levels 1 and 2.
These modifications, which will be published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (BOC), will become effective from midnight on Monday, when level 4 is expected to come into force. Tenerife will remain on this step of the covid risk traffic light until on January 24, 2022, without prejudice to the possibility of an extension depending on the evolution of the epidemiological situation or other circumstances that justify it.
Among the modulations there is also an improvement with respect to the previous level 4 for sports competitions – which may continue to be held with a capacity of 50% outdoors and 33% indoors – and the most common recreational activity among small ones, its parks children, will remain open.
The Governing Council, after meeting yesterday afternoon, also decided to raise the epidemiological risk level to level 3 in Lanzarote and La Palma, whose indicators have worsened to such an extent that “they have worse results than islands that are at levels higher than they, like Fuerteventura ». The rest of the islands remain unchanged, which means that Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura remain at level 3 and La Gomera and El Hierro at level 2. But if there is one island whose epidemiological evolution is of concern, that is Tenerife.
As explained by the Minister of Health, the positivity of diagnostic tests has exceeded 28% on the island and the occupancy rate in ICUs is already 26%, “eight points above that of Gran Canaria.” Despite the fact that the epidemiological curve has not stopped increasing since the beginning of December, Trujillo considered that the measures adopted are having “results” in containing the virus. “Growth is still important and it is because of the omicron variant, but the measures have led to less healthcare pressure,” said the counselor.
The positivity of the tests exceeds 28% on the island and the occupancy rate in ICUs already stands at 26%
He also stressed that, thanks to vaccines, fatality has dropped to unprecedented lows. “It is not the proportion we saw in other stages,” he asserted. He also insisted that in any case “we take measures for a long-distance race” which, in addition, must be accompanied by “individual protection and vaccination.” In any case, Trujillo did not hide the concern of the Government of the Canary Islands for the high hospital occupancy on the island. “We are very concerned and for this reason, all contingency plans that are working well are activated,” insisted the head of Health, who stressed that, for this sixth wave, the beds and professionals have been strengthened – 1,000 new toilets – to be able to carry out a reorganization of the sanitation.
