Laurence Dollimore
ANDALUCIA is considering loosening the current restrictions in place to fight the coronavirus, it has been revealed.
Vice president of the region Juan Marin said on Tuesday that ‘if the situation allows it, the measures could be relaxed’ on March 3.
That is when the the so-called committee of experts will meet with the Junta to evaluate the latest epidemiological figures.
But speaking on the La Ventana Andalucia radio show on Cadena Ser, the regional Ciudadanos leader declared ‘we have not yet defeated COVID’.
He said any decision by Andalucia would be influenced by what is discussed and decided at the Interterritorial Health Council, where the country’s 17 regions meet with the national Government to evaluate the pandemic.
Marin said the evolution in Andalucia was positive and that ‘many provinces and health districts are at level 3, others level 2’.
The current four-tier system categorises municipalities and provinces based on their incidence rates and other epidemiological data, with the highest Level 4 saved for those registering 250 cases per 100,000 people or higher, placing them at an ‘extreme risk’ of contagion.
Marin said on Tuesday that despite Andalucia’s progress he is in favour of ‘remaining cautious… even though we all want the measures to be relaxed.’
His comments came the day before the region lowered its incidence rate to 235 cases per 100,000 people, meaning it left Level 4 of the four-tier system and is no longer considered to be at an ‘extreme risk’ of contagion.
On saving Easter, he said: “We have to think about saving lives… if we can celebrate a more relaxed Easter, we will.”
But he warned against the regions being given powers to ‘do whatever they want.’
“That would be a disaster,” he said, “We cannot fall into such a huge error for the fourth time since March 2020.”
A strong rebound in cases would risk a fourth wave of the virus, following those seen at the end of summer and after Christmas.
