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Spain’s Covid incidence rate reaches ‘extreme risk’ levels

Spain’s coronavirus incidence rate has risen to high-risk levels, reports El País.

Published: 24 December 2020 14:36 CET
Spain's Covid incidence rate reaches 'extreme risk' levels
Image: Oscar del Pozo / AFP

On Wednesday, December 23, the Spanish Health Ministry released a new report stating that the 14-day cumulative number of cases per 100,000 inhabitants in Spain now stands at 253.7.

This number is above the 250-threshold, which the Health Ministry classifies as ‘extreme risk’. This is the highest figure Spain has recorded since November 30. According to the report, 12,386 new coronavirus cases were recorded and there were new 178 deaths. 

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday December 23, Health Minister Salvador Illa said: “We are very worried, and we are heading into the holidays, when there is an increase of mobility and social contact,”. Illa continued by asking the public to be “extremely prudent” over the Christmas holidays.

Many regions across Spain have put strict restrictions in place in a bid to stop the further spread of the virus over the holidays.

Read Also: Spain's Christmas coronavirus restrictions in each region 

According to the report, the Balearic Islands have the highest incidence rate in Spain, with the 14-day cumulative number per 100,000 inhabitants at 455. This is followed by Madrid (361), Valencia (346), Extremadura (337), Castilla y León (305) and Catalonia (301).

On the other side, the regions with the lowest incidence rates are the Canary Islands, Asturias, Andalusia, Murcia and Cantabria.

Spain’s incidence rate has been rising since December 9. Currently there are 11,328 Covid-19 hospitalised with the virus. Of this, 1,932 are in intensive care units (ICUs), occupying 20.2% of all ICU beds.

The Health Ministry, believes that the pressure on hospitals is likely to increase, however due to the rise in cases and incidence rates.

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COVID-19

Public Health Agency recommends two Covid doses next year for elderly

Sweden's Public Health Agency is recommending that those above the age of 80 should receive two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine a year, once in the spring and once in the autumn, as it shifts towards a longer-term strategy for the virus.

Published: 23 December 2022 10:53 CET
Public Health Agency recommends two Covid doses next year for elderly

In a new recommendation, the agency said that those living in elderly care centres, and those above the age of 80 should from March 1st receive two vaccinations a year, with a six month gap between doses. 

“Elderly people develop a somewhat worse immune defence after vaccination and immunity wanes faster than among young and healthy people,” the agency said. “That means that elderly people have a greater need of booster doses than younger ones. The Swedish Public Health Agency considers, based on the current knowledge, that it will be important even going into the future to have booster doses for the elderly and people in risk groups.” 

READ ALSO: 

People between the ages of 65 and 79 years old and young people with risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes, poor kidney function or high blood pressure, are recommended to take one additional dose per year.

The new vaccination recommendation, which will start to apply from March 1st next year, is only for 2023, Johanna Rubin, the investigator in the agency’s vaccination programme unit, explained. 

She said too much was still unclear about how long protection from vaccination lasted to institute a permanent programme.

“This recommendation applies to 2023. There is not really an abundance of data on how long protection lasts after a booster dose, of course, but this is what we can say for now,” she told the TT newswire. 

It was likely, however, that elderly people would end up being given an annual dose to protect them from any new variants, as has long been the case with influenza.

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