The Ministry of Health today updated the health alert levels after the epidemiological report of the General Directorate of Public Health with consolidated data as of February 9. The report specifies the evolution of health indicators by COVID-19, which keeps all the islands at their current alert levels. This means that Tenerife and Gran Canaria remain at alert level 4; and La Palma, Fuerteventura, El Hierro, La Gomera and Lanzarote (where La Graciosa is included epidemiologically) remain at level 3..
On the other hand, Health has decided to lower the measures at each level. The relaxation of measures at a level lower than that established in each island It affects all activities and establishments subject to limitations due to the pandemic. In this way, it is established that groups of people in spaces for public and private use, closed or outdoors, must be a maximum of 12 people, except cohabitants, at alert levels 1 and 2; eight people, except cohabitants, at alert level 3, and six people, except cohabitants, at alert level 3 and 4, since levels 3 and 4 already had six maximum people established.
Regarding the closing hours in establishments and activities that, prior to the pandemic, did not have a fixed closing time or had a higher one, the authorized schedules are those of the previous level to the corresponding one in each island.
The Governing Council insists on the importance of continuing to be cautious about the Omicron variant and the healthcare pressure that this sixth wave has caused on the Archipelago’s health system, which keeps all the islands at the health alert level they are at.
The report of the General Directorate of Public Health mmaintains levels by continuing healthcare capacity at high risk or very high in all islands and despite the reduction in the number of daily cases. In fact, although the accumulated incidence since January 14 has experienced a continuous decrease in the number of cases -with a reduction of 83.6 percent at 7 days- the transmissibility reached was so high that these indicators also continue to at high risk.
However, this continued decline in the cumulative incidence that has occurred in recent weeks allows flexible measures according to the current epidemiological situation.
This measure is agreed in view of the favorable evolution of the epidemiological indicators, and in application of the provisions of article 22.4 of Decree Law 11/2021, of September 2, which establishes the legal regime of health alert and the measures for the control and management of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Canary Islands, which establishes that:
“The regional health authority may agree, in a reasoned manner, to apply a lower level of alert than that applicable in a given territorial area based on its specific epidemiological situation, provided that the general interests of health intervention against the disease are not put at risk. COVID-19 pandemic and the preservation of the assistance capacity of the health system”.
De-escalation and flexibility
The agreement reached today supposes, de facto, the suspension of the restrictive measures that were applied to the islands in alert level 4, entering into force the measures of the alert level 3. In the same way, to the islands that are in level 3, the measures of level 2 will be applied and those that pass in the following revisions to level 2, will benefit from those of level 1. When there are islands in level 1, those of that level will be applied.
The relaxation of measures at a level lower than that established on each island affects all activities and establishments subject to limitations due to the pandemic. In this way, it is established that groups of people in spaces for public and private use, closed or outdoors, must be a maximum of 12 people, except cohabitants, at alert levels 1 and 2; eight people, except cohabitants, at alert level 3, and six people, except cohabitants, at alert level 4
Regarding the closing times in establishments and activities that, prior to the pandemic, did not have a set closing time or had a higher one, the authorized times are those of the level prior to the corresponding one on each island.
Therefore, they are as follows: closing at 04.00 hours at alert level 1 and 2; at 03:00 hours at alert level 3, and at 02:00 hours at alert level 4.
With regard to hotel and restaurant establishments and activities, on levels 1 and 2 the capacity will be 100% outdoors and 75% indoors, the tables may be occupied by a maximum of 12 people and the maximum closing time of the premises is established at 04.00 hours; at alert level 3 the capacity will be 75% outdoors and 50% indoors, the tables will be occupied by a maximum of 8 people and the closing will be before 03:00; and, finally, at alert level 4, the capacity will be 75% on terraces and 40% indoors, the tables will be occupied by a maximum of 6 people and the closing time of the establishment will be 02:00.
Modifications in the sports and cultural field
Regarding the sports and cultural field, given the continued decrease in cases, the maximum capacity limits of 85% will be applied for events in open venues and 75% for events in closed venues, respecting the non-pharmacological measures of protection against the COVID-19.
These limits affect the sports competitions of the National Professional Football League and the League of the Association of Basketball Clubs (ACB), as well as other massive sporting events, as agreed this week within the Interterritorial Council of the System Nacional de Salud where it was also specified that those attending the events will preferably be subscribers and local public. The training sessions will preferably be carried out without an audience and, in any case, with the maximum capacity limits previously established and under the compliance regulations regarding the organization of access, sectorization and movement of attendees.
As for the cultural sphere, the maximum capacity for cultural activity at all levels, regardless of whether or not it is considered a mass event, will be as follows:
The activity that takes place in closed cultural and artistic premises and establishments whose ordinary activity is cultural, the maximum capacity allowed will be 75%.
The activity that takes place in limited public spaces outdoors, such as squares, parks or sports facilities, the maximum capacity allowed will be 85%.
The voluntary Covid passport
The Litigation Chamber of the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) has rejected this Thursday the relaxation of the Covid measures of schedules and capacity for establishments that voluntarily request the Covid certificate. The Ministry of Health had already revoked the mandatory use of the certificate at levels 3 and 4 and intended to establish the system that rewarded establishments that wanted to continue to require the passport voluntarily.
The Ministry of Health sought to reward venues (bars, restaurants, cinemas, nightlife, gyms…) that voluntarily request the Covid passport applying the restrictions of hours and capacity of a lower level to which the Island is located. In this way, if a restaurant in Gran Canaria, currently at level 4, asked its customers for the certificate, it could automatically apply the measures of level 3.
The sixth wave has brought healthcare to a “stressful situation”
The sixth wave of covid-19 infections has multiplied the number of positives by 45 and there has been a stressful situation in the health system of the islands, said this Tuesday the president of the Canary Islands, Angel Victor Torres in the plenary of regional parliament.
In response to a question from the group deputy Nationalist (CC-PNC-AHI) Pablo Rodríguez, the president of the Canary Islands has indicated that given the stressful situation that has occurred both in Primary Care as in hospital services and ICUs, temporary measures have been adopted.
Some measures that will end as soon as the contagion curve is bent, pointed out the president of the Canary Islands, who has thus referred to the contingency plan of the Insular University Hospital of Gran Canaria.
Do you think it’s time to eliminate the mandatory use of the mask outdoors?
Pablo Rodríguez, who asked about the actions being carried out to put an end to the situation of chaos denounced by the health personnel suffered by hospital centers, recalled that professionals say that there is mistreatment of human capital, as well as apathy and incompetence and lack of professionalism in management.
The deputy of the Nationalist group has assured that Ángel Víctor Torres does not listen to health professionals or opposition deputies, and has criticized that the president of the Canary Islands believes that “always” he is right and moves on an axis in the that speaks of the inheritance of the past and of a future that will never come.
Pablo Rodríguez has given his opinion when he speaks of the inheritance Ángel Víctor Torres must bear in mind that in the last ten years the PSOE he has ruled the same number of years as CC.
Ángel Víctor Torres replied that he had not talked about political heritage and criticized Pablo Rodríguez for asking rhetorical questions instead of making proposals.
