Alex Trelinski
SOARING coronavirus infections are not forcing any imminent new restrictions in the Valencian Community
22,800 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Monday, taking in the New Year Holiday weekend- the biggest weekend infection total since the pandemic started in March 2019.
Hospital admissions have broken the thousand-mark but are almost half compared to a year ago.
Mortality rates are 80% down over 12 months.
Speaking during a visit to Paiporta this Tuesday, Valencian president, Ximo Puig, said: “This sixth coronavirus wave has a very high infection rate but the situation is very different from a year ago due to vaccinations.”
Puig appealed for ‘maximum prudence’ and ruled out new restrictions beyond the use of COVID passports.
He did reserve the right to ‘not rule anything out’, but added that the current response of passports, ventilation and distancing needed to be maintained.
“We have to participate in some kind of normalisation of social life,” he said.
He admitted the current wave was ‘stressing’ the hospital and primary health care systems.
Puig also confirmed the new school term will start as scheduled on January 10 with ‘face-to-face’ classroom lessons as normal.
The Valencian Community’s tactics in backing away from curfews, lower capacities, and opening hour restrictions for non-essential businesses is in contrast to how they handled the pandemic last year.
The region built up a reputation for having some of Spain’s toughest COVID restrictions which brought criticism from hospitality and tourism associations.
It appears that hospitalisations and death rates are being used as the main barometer of what to do during the sixth pandemic wave as opposed to just infection rates.
The neighbouring Murcia region imposed capacity restrictions and overnight restrictions in late December.
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