Government strengthens restrictive measures to combat Brazilian and South African variants of COVID-19

Carolina Darias specified that the order establishes that all travellers from airports in Brazil and South Africa travelling to Spanish airports will have to go into compulsory self-isolation for 10 days upon their arrival in our country, which may be reduced to seven days in the event that, once the initial self-isolation period of one week is completed, they provide a negative RT-PCR test or another test based on equivalent molecular techniques, or an antigen test with a minimum performance equal to or higher than 90% sensitivity and equal to or higher than 97% specificity.

The order will enter into force at midnight on 22 February for an initial period of 14 calendar days, which may be extended should the reasons for its introduction remain valid. Travellers from Brazil and South Africa must also remain at home or in accommodation, limiting trips out and contact with other people.

The Minister for Health underlined that this order is in line with the decisive action of the Government of Spain to protect the health and safety of citizens, contain the spread of the virus and strengthen health and care systems.

According to the Minister for Health, the order is "absolutely necessary, essential and pressing to avoid the spread of these new Brazilian and South Africa variants" of COVID-19.

This measure is in addition to others already in force, such as restrictions agreed by the Council of Ministers on flights from Brazil and South Africa and the requirement for a negative PCR test within 72 hours prior to arrival in our country.

This order, specified the Minister for Health, is in line with the common approach to self-isolation, limitation and control measures imposed by the European Union and the recommendations of the European Council, and is based on Spanish health legislation, as part of the exclusive jurisdiction of the Government of Spain on Border Health.

More than 1 million people have completed the vaccination process

Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la BellacasaThe Minister for Health also evaluated the progress of the Vaccination Strategy which hit the figure of 1 million people last week to have completed the two-dose vaccination process, and the fact that our country is among the top 10 in world in terms of the number of people vaccinated.

"The government's aim is still to have more people vaccinated than infected, which is within our reach", stressed Carolina Darias, who also specified that 3,622,165 doses of vaccines against COVID-19 have now been delivered to the regional governments, of which 2,690,457 doses have already been administered (74.3%).

"It is important to continue with the rate of vaccination as and when the doses arrive. The aim is to vaccinate flat-out", said Carolina Darias, who announced that a total of 879,000 doses will be received this week - 483,000 doses from Pfizer/BioNTech and 396,000 from AstraZeneca.

The Minister for Health also praised the fact that Janssen has now presented the documentation with its application for authorisation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which should be approved between 8 and 12 March.

Coordination on start of agricultural campaigns

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, also took part in this Inter-territorial Council to resume coordination before the start of the new agricultural campaigns, which require a high number of fruit pickers to gather the harvests.

Luis Planas also stressed the special conditions under which the fishing activity of vessels will be conducted, in reduced spaces and in fishing grounds that are located a long way away from base ports, which forces crews to spend weeks or even months away from home.

As regards the agricultural campaigns, the one now underway is for red fruits (strawberries, raspberries and cranberries) in Andalusia, mainly in the province of Huelva, which will continue until the month of May.

The aim of this meeting is to coordinate and detect accommodation needs among the different authorities, together with the correct planning of campaigns to prevent potential outbreaks in the sector.

Non official translation