The Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, notes that the Ministry and the Autonomous Communities did not address this Friday the withdrawal of the mandatory masks on public transport despite some communities like Madrid claiming to do so on the basis of arguments such as the current epidemiological situation and the high percentage of the population vaccinated against Covid-19.
However, the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System decided not to discuss the matter at the meeting on Friday after listening to some experts from the Alert Report, who advised to extend the measure due to the “slight increase” in cases.
“It didn’t come out, it wasn’t commented on, nor was it on the agenda. None of the councilors did“explained Darias in a press conference after the plenary meeting.
Darias recalled that in the last Inter-territorial Council of the National Health System the Ministry and the Autonomous Communities agreed that “It was the experts who continue to advise on the decision-making process” on the removal or not of masks in public transport.
What arguments do the experts put forward?
In addition to the experts of the Alert Report, other health professionals have given theirs arguments to position oneself in favor of maintaining the mask on public transport.
For example, the prestigious virologist, immunologist and researcher, Margherita della Vallehe said that although we are “tired” of taking it, public transport is one of the “highest risk” places for the large number of people who use it.
For its part, CSIC experts They also ensure that its use must be maintained in certain spaces, such as public transport, and increased at times when the incidence is greatest.
The incidence of Covid is decreasing
Darias specified that from 23 August to 9 September the incidence of COVID-19 cases decreased by about 1.7% per day. However, a “slight upward trend” of 1.1% per day has been observed since September 30th.
Health report
In this Friday’s health report, put forward by the minister, the incidence in people over 65 it is 13 points higher than on Tuesday, settling at 168 against 155.55. In any case, and as the minister added, this slight increase does not translate into an increase in hospital employment, which remains “the lowest in the entire pandemic”.
More news about the company
The Ministry of Health and the Autonomous Communities have agreed that epidemiological reports on COVID-19 and monkeypox be published weekly, and not twice a week, as has been the case so far.
