In Spain, Christmas will not be able to be “saved” this year.
Why won’t Christmas in Spain be saved this year?
In recent weeks, authorities in several regions of Spain have taken action to keep this year’s Christmas season the same as Spaniards know and love it. However, it seems that these efforts will not lead to success, and the Christmas holidays will be overshadowed by restrictions related to the coronavirus.
The Spanish authorities and regional authorities are following a similar strategy in combating the spread of the virus, including holidays. The main differences are how many people can gather together – either six or ten people, including children, and also at what time a curfew will be imposed on New Year’s Eve – either from 1.00 or 1.30.
The main task of the authorities now is to prevent a sharp increase in morbidity after the holiday season, as happened after the lifting of restrictions in the summer. Most epidemiologists believe that there is a high risk of an increase in morbidity after the holidays, when it has already begun to decline. Some are even talking about a possible third wave. The possibility of introducing stricter restrictions, for example, a full lockdown, is not yet being considered. However, the future of the epidemiological situation will depend on how Spaniards take precautions when meeting friends and relatives during the holidays.
Most experts agree that this Christmas will be significantly different from the usual one, and you will have to accept this. It is important not only how many people can gather together, but also that at family dinners, especially if not only family members living together are invited, precautions that have proven effective are observed.
Many experts point out that the decision to start the summer season, taken for economic reasons, had a negative impact not only on the health of the nation, but also on the longer term. Analysts are confident that restrictive measures should be maintained at least until the end of the year, when the incidence will decrease to an acceptable level. This, of course, will have a negative impact on the economy, but in the end it will be a lower price compared to the situation when restrictions will be lifted ahead of time, and then quarantine will have to be introduced in January.
The situation in Spain on Christmas Eve is more difficult than it was before the start of the summer tourist season. Currently, the cumulative incidence over a 14-day period exceeds 300 cases per 100,000 population, while on June 21 this figure was only 8 cases per 100,000 population. Even with a decrease in the incidence in recent days, until the end of December, its level will remain high according to European standards.
As Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez noted last week, during the upcoming Christmas season, health precautions should be a priority in making any decisions. He called for taking care of the safety of those we love, and noted that the next six months will be crucial in the fight against the pandemic, as mass vaccination will begin.
In Madrid, on a festive night, a curfew will be set from 1.30 and meetings of no more than 10 people are allowed. Other regions generally agreed with similar measures, although some decided to close the borders. It is not yet known if they will open them before the holidays. Andalusian authorities are considering the possibility of introducing a protocol for residents returning home, and Valencia plans to open the borders of the autonomy only on the most important days of the festive season.
At the moment, epidemiologists believe that the probability of a third wave will largely depend on the behavior of Spaniards and their awareness that this Christmas will be different from all previous ones. This behavior of the population has already led to a decrease in the incidence in Madrid, which was the epicenter of the first wave. Perhaps the awareness of the Spaniards will bring them a pleasant surprise after the holidays, and the increase in morbidity, if it happens, will be insignificant.
