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Spanish Nobel laureate Vargas Llosa to head home after beating Covid

Spanish-Peruvian Nobel literature laureate Mario Vargas Llosa has "beaten" Covid and will leave the Madrid clinic where he was being treated to complete his recovery at home, his family tweeted on Monday.

Published: 25 April 2022 14:55 CEST

Spanish Nobel laureate Vargas Llosa to head home after beating Covid

Vargas Llosa, 86, was hospitalized in Madrid after contracting the coronavirus and his condition "is progressing favourably", his son Alvaro Vargas Llosa announced on April 22, 2022. (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / AFP)

The 86-year-old writer “has beaten Covid. Now he’s going home to continue his recovery,” his son Alvaro Vargas Llosa tweeted, thanking the medical staff at the clinic.

He went in for treatment last week following “complications caused by coronavirus”, his son tweeted on Friday, saying he had entered the clinic “a few days ago” with his condition “progressing favourably”.

The tweet was also signed by the writer’s two other children Gonzalo and Morgana.

Born in Peru in 1936, Vargas Llosa took Spanish citizenship in 1993.

At the beginning of April, he published his latest work, “The Quiet Gaze (of Perez Galdos)”, an essay on the Spanish writer Benito Perez Galdos (1843-1920).

The last survivor of a golden generation of Latin American literary giants, Vargas Llosa’s writing explores universal themes often set outside his native Peru.

Admired for his depiction of social realities, but criticised within Latin American intellectual circles for his conservative positions, Vargas Llosa is a leading light of the “boom” generation that included greats like Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Julio Cortazar.

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'Tripledemic' in Spain: Which regions have made masks mandatory in hospitals?

It’s all felt a bit déjà vu in Spain in recent days. Respiratory infections on the up, worries about hospitals being overwhelmed, regional governments clashing with central government about the best way to approach things, and, of course, the return of face masks.

The Health Ministry, headed by Mónica García, called an extraordinary meeting of Spain’s Interterritorial Council of the National Health System (CISNS) in order to “unify the criteria” against the surge in respiratory illnesses over the winter, namely the ‘tripledemic’ threat of influenza, Covid-19 and bronchiolitis as it’s been dubbed in the Spanish and international press.

Although Spain’s Ministry of Health and regional governments failed to come to a nationwide agreement with regards to the mandatory use of masks in hospitals, health centres and pharmacies throughout the country, some regions have already made mascarillas mandatory.

Self-assessed health leave

The government is also considering the possibility of allowing three-day leave for people who have a mild illness that doesn’t require medical attention in order to ease pressure on the health system.

“We are studying self-justifying mild illnesses during the first three days,” García said in an interview with Onda Cero, indicating that this self-assessment process, referred to as ‘autobaja‘ in Spanish, would be for people that “do not need to go to the doctor.”

But what about masks? With no agreement between the government and regions yet, where do you need to wear one?

Mandatory masks

Valencia

The Valencian Ministry of Health has made masks mandatory in all health centres for symptomatic people when they are in shared spaces, including waiting rooms and consultations.

Catalonia

Masks are also mandatory in all health centres in Catalonia, though, as of Monday afternoon, it has not yet been confirmed if pharmacies are included.

Murcia

Murcia too has made face masks mandatory in hospitals and health centres and recommended their use in “in any space, when there are symptoms of respiratory disease.”

Health authorities in the southern region have been offering free masks since December 30th in hospitals.

Canary Islands

The mask mandate will enter into force tomorrow, Tuesday 9th, although like in Murcia their use has been recommended since December.

Aragón

In Aragón, masks are mandatory for all healthcare workers and personnel who work in health centres and hospitals, including social health centres. The mandate has also been extended to patients, but only those in waiting rooms.

Asturias

Face masks will be mandatory in Asturias from Tuesday 9th, in both hospitals and pharmacies.

Non-mandatory but recommended

The rest of the Spanish regions have yet to make masks mandatory in hospitals and health centres, but recommend their use, including:

Balearic Islands

The Balearic Government does however recommend using a mask if you have symptoms, as well as frequent hand washing and covering your mouth when sneezing.

Castilla and León

The Ministry of Health in Castilla y León has recommended masks for people who suspect that they may be ill or have a respiratory infection.

Basque Country

The Basque Department of Health also recommends masks for people with symptoms of respiratory illness, but has not made them obligatory.

Andalusia

The Andalusian Health Service (SAS) recommends masks for people with symptoms, previous health problems, when with vulnerable people or at hospitals or health centres, but has so far ruled out making them mandatory.

Madrid

The Madrid regional government has taken the most nakedly political approach and accused the Ministry of Health of a “lack of planning” and ruled out mask mandates.

Castilla-La Mancha

In Castilla La Mancha, mask use is recommended but not obligatory.

Cantabria

Similarly, in Cantabria masks are not mandatory but recommended.

Navarra

Navarra’s Ministry of Health claims that mask mandates in hospitals and health centres would require “a regulatory adjustment” that would have to be analysed “in depth.”

Masks are therefore recommended but not mandatory for now.

Galicia

In Galicia, masks are recommended in hospitals and other health centres but not mandatory.

La Rioja

Maks in hospitals are only recommended, not obligatory.

Extremadura

Masks are recommended but not mandatory.

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