China is once again the epicenter of the pandemic. The abandonment of the ‘Covid zero’ policy that the Asian giant has fiercely supported in these three years is giving the virus new wings in the country. While transparency about what the real situation is leaves much to be desired, the Chinese authorities cannot hide that they are faced with a large problem.
Several countries, including Spain, have begun to take steps to prepare for the possible consequences of this wave, although experts point out that “We are not facing the same situation as in 2020”. Vaccination rates against the virus are high, there are tests and protective materials available and, for the moment, no new variants of concern are circulating.
What are the vaccination rates?
According to the latest report from the Ministry of Health, dated December 30, 92.9% of the population over the age of 12 – more than 39 million Spaniards – have the full vaccination regimen.
55.7% of the population also received a booster dose. Among the over 60s, the most vulnerable, this percentage rises to 92.7%.
Last September, the campaign for the administration of a second booster dose with vaccines adapted to the new variants began. Initially aimed at a vulnerable population, to date this fourth sting has been received by 55.5% of over-60s. The possibility of receiving this second booster dose has been open since mid-December to everyone over the age of 6.
Among children under 12, 46.4% currently have the full two-dose regimen.
What variants circulate in Spain?
Currently, the micrometric variant It is the dominant one in Spain. It includes five lineages (BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4 and BA.5) and the sublines derived from these. Notably, the lineage that predominates in our country and the rest of the world is currently BA.5, according to the latest CCAES report, released on December 27. Both vaccines and natural immunity offer protection against serious disease from infection with these variants.
What is the situation in hospitals?
In Spain, since the beginning of the pandemic and until December 30, 2022, 13,684,258 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 117,095 deaths have been reported, according to data from the Coordination Center for Health Alerts and Emergencies, although from March to starting in 2022, the strategy counts cases detected in vulnerable people.
On the situation of caring ability, there are currently 3,717 patients hospitalized with Covid in Spanish hospitals. In intensive care, the number of patients with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 is 236 people (2.71% of beds occupied in intensive care), a figure seven times lower than those recorded a year ago in this period.
According to data from the National Institute of Statistics, Covid was the most frequent cause of death in 2021, with 39,444 deaths and a rate of 83.3 per 100,000 inhabitants. However, this figure is 34.6% lower than that recorded for this reason the previous year.
Specifically, in 2021, 22,449 men and 16,995 women died from the identified COVID-19 virus. 82.2% of the deceased were 70 years of age or older.
The months with the highest number of identified deaths from the COVID-19 virus were January (with 12,459, 23.9% of the total for that month), February (with 9,328, 23.0% of the total) and August (with 3,457, 23.0% of the total).9.1% of the total).
According to the latest health data, there have been 88 deaths from Covid in the last week. The mortality rate in people over the age of 60 is 3.6%.
Is there proof and protection material available?
The explosion of Covid-19 cases in China and the measures announced by the government to deal with them have revived old ghosts From the past. In fact, many wonder if Spain currently has a sufficient supply of products against Covid (tests, masks…) and medicines to deal with symptoms in the event of a possible increase in demand.
That said, from the General Council of the Official Colleges of Pharmacists convey peace of mind. According to this newspaper Juan Pedro Rsquez, vice president of the General Council, at the moment the pharmacies are stocked. For example, regarding tests, Rsquez points out that “there are currently more than 150 different presentations available to pharmacies” and that “both the European and national markets have strengthened, since last year we have had greater dependence on the Asian market”.
Also from the Federacin de Distribuidores Farmacuticos (Fedifar) launches this message “tranquillity” and point out that, “for the moment, no problems have been reported” or “no peak in demand” and that the distribution of drugs and materials is underway “normally”. Employer sources explain this to this newspaper, adding that the current shortages of medicines registered by the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (Aemps) do not portend problems in the face of a possible increase in demand in the coming days.
“At the moment, according to the data communicated to us by our associates, the shortage of drugs registered by Aemps They do not pose a problem in this sense or suggest a possible conflict in case there is an increase in demand,” these sources point out.
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