Health authorities will today make the use of face masks compulsory in health centers across Spain

he ministry of health Will order this Monday To all communities they implement Mandatory use of masks In health centers (such as hospitals and primary care) and social health centers, a measure will be implemented “temporarily” while it lasts influenza epidemic peak and others Respiratory viruses. In Catalonia, the rule was announced last Friday by “advisor” Manel Balcells and enters exactly Effective today on the territory of Catalonia, It was published in the Official Gazette of the Government of Catalonia (DGOC) on Monday.

Before Catalonia, valencian community And then Murcia did it. As far as he is concerned, Aragonese Government approved the measure partially, Because this obligation only applies to sanitary and care Social Care Centre. this Madrid’s neighborhoods It’s the one that’s already shown Even less willing The use of masks in health centers has been made compulsory, but he ruled out the possibility of implementing this measure.Under this autonomy, the use of health centres, hospitals and social care centers will “Recommended and voluntary.”

On Friday, after learning of the announcements from the three autonomous regions, the head of the health department Monica Garcia, Report on the same day WHO will convey this request to the Council within the framework of the Extraordinary Plenary Meeting of the Council Interregional Committee on National Health Systems, This Monday is for celebration “Uniform standards” and coordinating measures to address the resurgence of respiratory viruses.

According to “EL PERIÓDICO” sources, the minister is uneasy about the distance between the three communities and the self-declared measure. They do not show coordination with other people. According to predictions, In Catalonia will continue to rise Medical stress caused by influenza (This is the virus that puts the most stress on the system) until the middle of the week, then it will taper off.

Mask again…

As masks become mandatory at health centres, Indicators that fell six months ago, On July 5, 2023, both parties agreed Council of Ministers why use it It is no longer compulsory in health and social care centres, services and pharmacies. along with the validity of the alarm status, This measure is the responsibility of the state, not of autonomous bodies.

Mandatory use of masks in health centers is supported by medical association, picture family medicine, the one Emergency medicine and emergencies (Semes) and the Federation of Associations for the Defense of Public Health (FADSP), even recommended an extension compulsory public transport and poorly ventilated spaces.

epidemiologists like Daniel Lopez Acuña, former director World Health Organization (World Health Organization), in “A significant increase incidence of acute respiratory tract infections” which is “a public health issue” that requires “A strong response from the state.” “It is very appropriate that the Ministry of Health convenes a special meeting. interregional committee on national health systems Agree on public health measures to stop infections and mitigate outbreaks health care impact López Acuña said yesterday in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

What does the community say?

also Catalonia, this valencian community anyone Murcia (already mandatory in hospitals and health centers), or madrid (which is the opposite), other communities e.g. andalusia said they would await the recommendations of the Inter-Territorial Committee today, although they had already agreed speed up vaccination, Anyone who wants to can get the flu and coronavirus vaccine without an appointment.

return castilla la mancha A decision has been announced “Let the experts mark it”, although Canary Islands and Cantabria They await cross-cutting conclusions.

community likes La Rioja, Asturias, Galicia, Castile and León or Navarra For now, it’s more beneficial recommend In some cases, such as regional communities, they believe that obligations imply regulatory adjustments, “You must study hard.”

So far, the Basque Country has also chosen Recommended facial mask. Basque Ministry of Health recognizes the tensions facing the health system “Moments of overload”, But they deny that there is collapse Therefore they see no need to take drastic measures.exist balearic islands Only recommended for People with respiratory symptoms.

Epidemiological situation

Catalonia Starting today, you will face Your most complicated week because of their pressure emergency services of respiratory viruses,especially influenza. According to predictions from the Computational Biology and Complex Systems Group (Biocomsc), Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), things will start to “turn around” In the middle of this week, Until then though, the pressure on care (trips to emergency rooms and admissions to hospital wards and intensive care units) will continue. going up.

At the state level, the story is similar. According to the latest data from the Surveillance System for Acute Respiratory Infections (Sivira) of the Carlos III Health Institute, Hospitalized with influenza An increase of 6 across Spain0% within a week, There are as many as 9.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, An increase of 3.6 percentage points from last week And it has been on an upward trend since the end of October.

Overall incidence of acute respiratory tract infectionsSpanish primary care There were 952.9 cases per 100,000 people in the last week of December, well above the 533.4 registered at the beginning of the month.

through the community, castilla la mancha The highest incidence rate is 1,709.7 cases per 100,000, followed by valencian community (1,501.4), Asturias (1,318.6), Canary Islands (1,285.3), Melilla (1,271.4), castile and leon (1,209.9), Aragon (1,195.2) and navarre (1,082.4). andalusia This is the lowest incidence of autonomy (504.6).