Laurence Dollimore
DRASTIC measures will be taken if COVID-19 outbreaks across Spain continue to worsen, the Government has warned.
Health Minister Salvador Illa told Onda Cero that if the virus becomes uncontrolled and begins to impact several more regions, the Government will look to implement measures at the national level.
“We are not yet in this scenario,” said Illa, “outbreaks are being controlled and all the necessary tools are available to the different regions, but we don’t rule out any future action.”
It comes after the autonomous regions were given the green light to start their ‘Early response plan’ to control the spread of the virus.
The permission came following a meeting between the health ministry and the Inter-territorial Council of the National Health System.
“The plan contemplates several scenarios,” Illa explained, “one of them is intermediate while another is more drastic and features more forceful measures, including coordinated public health policies which would affect several autonomous regions and which would be mandatory.”
Currently, Illa said, Spain has its fresh outbreaks of COVID-19 under control.
The regions are, so far, managing their own outbreaks.
Illa appealed to the population to continue to abide by social distancing measures, as well as wear masks and wash hands.
The health chief said he was pleased with the people’s response so far, particularly after seeing no large concentrations of people in the capital after Real Madrid were declared champions of the League.
“This gives me hope,” he said, “if we continue this way, and people remember the virus is still with us, there will be no need to take more drastic measures.”
