Miguel Ángel Ponce (PP) points out that the “flu” of the pandemic has been a “failure” and criticizes the “lack of credibility” of the Government
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, July 12. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Minister of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, Blas Trujillo, stated this Tuesday that next year his department will still need a lot of financial funds to deal with the coronavirus pandemic given that this year there has been no extraordinary ‘covid fund’ and before the risk of creating the “perfect storm” of flu and Covid-19.
In a parliamentary appearance requested by the Popular Group, he stressed that the Canary Islands follow the national strategy agreed by consensus by all the communities and, in addition, has hired 1,700 toilets this summer to maintain the contingency plans and the vaccination campaign.
Faced with criticism from nationalists and popular, he has denied that his department defends “flu” or that it incurs “passivity in the fight”, although he has recognized that it is “very complicated” to set containment measures in the face of the “fed up” of the population and the objective of achieving a “balance” between protecting the population and revitalizing the economy.
He has commented that the Canary Islands registered its “highest peak” of the pandemic last summer and although it is now above the national average in Cumulative Incidence, it is below in occupancy of hospital and ICU beds, as well as with deaths, with 85 per 100,000 inhabitants –229 at the national level–, although the most common profile is that of older people with multiple pathologies.
However, he has warned that this situation does not lead “to complacency” or to “lower our guard”.
Likewise, it has been advanced that a vaccination campaign has been contracted in the media, social networks and mobile phones to reinforce the message among people who do not have the complete guideline or have not received the reinforcement.
“We have to give our chest, we have to raise awareness,” he indicated, stressing that there is a lot of “confusion” among citizens because some people believe that because they have passed the Covid, for example, they do not have to be vaccinated.
“THIS IS NOT SOMETHING PASSING”
He has also pointed out that the recommendation to wear the mask in closed and poorly ventilated spaces is maintained because “the pandemic is far from over” and he has asked to be “consistent” with the evolution of the pandemic and the organization of public activities. “This is not something temporary, you have to be persistent,” she stressed.
Miguel Ángel Ponce has commented that the idea of ’influenza’ the pandemic “is a failure” because it is not being fully measured, only those over 60 years of age, and the population is “confused and in full swing”.
He has charged against the “lack of credibility” of the Government and demanded “more information” for society because citizens “will better comply” with the measures and treatments.
He has said that 26 deaths in a week in the Canary Islands “are not caused by the flu” and he does not understand why there has been no meeting with the opposition throughout the pandemic to articulate measures, recalling how long it took to launch the tests in pharmacy.
Likewise, he has said that there has been no contingency plan to deal with the rise in infections during the summer “and things are getting ugly” and requested a “strong campaign” to once again promote vaccination in line with those carried out by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT).
Ponce, who has censured the “disrespect” of the socialist caucus — “I’ve been watching Covid for two years–, has asked not to make the “same mistake” and treat Covid-19 like the flu again.
ESPINO: “THIS IS NOT A FLU”
The spokeswoman for the Joint Group, Vidina Espino, recalled that in one week more than 20 people have died and there is a “false feeling” that the virus has disappeared because “this is not a flu”.
He has described as “sad” that the death of older people is accepted “constantly” and questioned the removal of masks and containment measures. “It was done in a rush,” she has exposed.
He has warned of the low vaccination rate among children and the lack of booster doses among twentysomethings and thirtysomethings. “We have a problem with vaccination in the Canary Islands,” she pointed out.
Melodie Mendoza (ASG) has commented that the guard should not be lowered because infections continue and people die every day and that is why she has endorsed that the vaccination points remain open this summer and the use of the mask in interior and poorly ventilated places .
“We must not relax or stop having individual responsibility,” he stressed, also assessing that 1,700 toilets have been hired this summer to maintain healthcare activity and contingency plans for Covid-19.
María del Río (Yes We Can) has commented that she is “concerned” about the situation of the group of people over 60 years of age and whether the new vaccines will include the omicron variants, noting that each of the more than 1,800 people who have died in the islands.
ESTHER GONZÁLEZ (NC) DISSUES DEPUTIES WHO DO NOT WEAR A MASK
Esther González (NC) has lamented the “banalization” of Covid-19 in the Canary Islands, giving as an example “the Chamber of Parliament itself”, a closed space with poor ventilation and where the mask is hardly used. “We should lead by example,” she said.
The deputy is against the removal of masks in closed spaces and has also called for a special vaccination campaign for this summer.
José Alberto Díaz-Estébanez (CC-PNC) has questioned the “passivity” of the Government of the Canary Islands and its “passivity in the fight”, accompanied by the attitude of the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, who advocated stopping collecting the data for those under 60 years of age.
He has said that only “assumptions” can be made about infections among those under 60 years of age and criticized that the Canary Islands “are in the queue” in vaccination and that the level system has not worked.
“The Covid continues and the sick and the dead know it very well,” he snapped at the counselor.
Marcos Hernández, from the Socialist Group, has assessed that there are 1.8 million canaries immunized with the vaccine, which is a “guarantee”, while he sees “normal” that there is a rebound in cases with the increase in socialization.
It has also indicated that the control measures and the new strategy were taken by consensus in the Interterritorial Council
