SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, March 24. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Government Council of the Canary Islands has agreed this Thursday to suspend all regional restrictions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, starting on Saturday and temporarily until April 30, although it leaves the door open to reconsider the position if the epidemiological indicators worsen.
The Deputy Minister of the Presidency, Antonio Olivera, has detailed in a press conference that the de-escalation is still being done “with caution” because the legal framework associated with the pandemic is not repealed, the measures are only suspended given that “the virus is still present”. “We keep moving forward but let’s not relax completely,” he added.
Thus, starting at dawn this Saturday, capacity, closing times and the limitation of the number of people in catering establishments are eliminated, mass events no longer need prior authorization and festivals and popular festivals are allowed.
Olivera has also pointed out that the ban on smoking and drinking in the street is lifted and both cultural and sports activities can be carried out under the same conditions as before the pandemic.
The deputy minister has endorsed this decision based on the good indicators presented by hospital pressure and the Accumulated Incidence among those over 60 years of age, the high percentage of the vaccinated population –above 80 percent– and the arrival in Spain of the first drug to fight the disease.
However, it has specified that the use of the mask is maintained, both indoors and outdoors if the social distance is not kept, since its regulation is the responsibility of the central government.
Surveillance and control structures will remain operational to monitor the key indicators that make it possible to detect changes in epidemiological patterns, the appearance of new variants or a greater impact on the healthcare system.
In this way, if an unfavorable evolution is detected on any island, the reactivation of the restrictive measures established in Decree Law 11/2021 could be determined for that territory.
CHANGE IN ALERT LEVELS
Likewise, as of next Monday, 5 alert levels are established (alert levels 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4) based on the indicators of use of care services and the alert level will be defined by the indicator of that block that has the highest level of risk.
Currently, the occupancy of critical care beds reflects a downward trend, keeping all the islands at low risk in this indicator, except Gran Canaria, which fluctuates between medium and low risk.
The occupation of conventional beds is at medium risk in Gran Canaria and Tenerife, while Fuerteventura and Lanzarote oscillate between medium and controlled circulation.
La Palma is at high risk in the occupation of conventional beds, while El Hierro and La Gomera are in controlled circulation.
The rate of new hospitalizations for COVID-19 is at a low risk level in Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Palma and in controlled circulation assessment in the rest of the islands.
