Following Thursday's meeting between government, island council, employers and union representatives (the social dialogue table), health minister Patricia Gómez confirmed that the Covid passport will cease to be a requirement as from Saturday. This means it will not have to be presented in order to enter bars, restaurants, clubs, cinemas and certain other establishments. It will also not be necessary for visitors to care homes, although workers in care homes and in the health sector will still need to have proof of double vaccination. If they do not have this, they have to be tested three times a week.
Gómez said that agreement was reached on withdrawing the Covid passport requirement due to the improvement of the epidemiological situation, both in terms of incidence and the situation in the hospitals. This improvement has meant that Mallorca and Minorca drop to health alert level 3, even if Ibiza and Formentera remain at level 4.
She highlighted the decrease in the 14-day cumulative incidence. Since the start of February, this has gone from 2955 to 1514 (Thursday's figure). Also since February 1, the number of Covid patients on wards has fallen from 404 to 335 and in ICUs from 89 to 65.
The minister referred to the progress made in respect of vaccination. Since December 1, some 55,000 people have had a first dose, and the passport requirement has contributed to this. "The certificate has been useful in recent months in containing and lessening the impact of the sixth wave, both in hospitals and in the economy." Now that it is to be withdrawn, Gómez stressed that the public will continue to be encouraged to be vaccinated, especially with the tourism season coming up.
The 84 per cent of the target population to have been fully vaccinated is "a good percentage", although there are groups such as children or people between 20 and 40 with somewhat lower percentages. "We are not giving up on the entire population being vaccinated, because people are continuing to die."
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I personally know of many who've died from covid. Please don't insult me, their families, or those who lost their lives.
I personally do not know of one person who has died as a result of Covid, and nor do any of my family or friends. It appears that those who have died, have died of other causes, but WITH a Covid positive test, but inexpicably their deaths have been noted as due to Covid. This situation is now getting tired, and life must return to normal. Many countries are now treating Covid as nothing worse than flu. I think they are right to do so. Have we forgotten that flu kills millions worldwide every year, but there has never been major panic and fear mongering over it.
All we need now is to get rid of the pointless face nappies. Oh! And this stupid socialist government that have destroyed this island with its ridiculous policies.
This is a great win! But our work on reclaiming our freedoms is not over. There is still much work to be accomplished. Do not sit idle. Let's celebrate this, but also remember that many of our freedoms were taken away and they must be reclaimed from the government that works for us.