Omikron on the advance: Despite the high vaccination rate, it is increasing Corona incidence in Spain up – and the government in Madrid is forced to act.
In order to cope with the spread of the new Corona variant, the mask requirement will also be reintroduced outdoors throughout the country – this will apply from December 23rd and thus already at Christmas time.
“The mask has proven in recent months that it is an effective preventive measure,” said Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (49) on Wednesday evening. The obligation to wear outdoors should apply “temporarily” and be lifted “as soon as possible”.
For the time being, the mask does not have to be worn when exercising outdoors or taking a walk with household members. The requirement to wear masks outdoors was lifted in Spain at the end of June, but it continued to apply indoors and when there were large gatherings of people outdoors.
Spain has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, but new corona infections have recently exploded. Authorities reported a new record of 60,041 new infections in one day on Wednesday. The 14-day incidence is 784 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, four times as much as at the beginning of December. Some regions like Catalonia therefore want stricter regulations and could soon impose a night curfew again.
More than 100,000 new infections in the UK for the first time
The corona numbers have also risen dramatically among the British. For the first time, more than 100,000 infections with the coronavirus have been recorded in a single day. The country, which is facing a massive wave of omicrons, recorded 106,122 new infections on Wednesday, according to government website.
Despite the worrying development, Prime Minister Boris Johnson (57) ruled out a further tightening of the corona measures for most of England for the festive season on Tuesday.
The government wants to wait until there are clear data on whether the number of hospital admissions will increase with the sharp increase in infections.
However, experts warn that it may be too late when the data is clear. In addition, staff shortages in hospitals and in public transport are increasingly causing difficulties because many employees become infected and self-isolate. The government therefore announced on December 22nd that it would reduce the length of isolation from ten to seven days.
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