Spain Closes In On 50% Vaccination As Delta Variant Surges
The latest Spain Health Ministry figures for the coronavirus infection rate shows a sharp spike in the number of cases throughout the country.
As of July 16th, the 14 day incidence rate is just over 537 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
There remain wide regional variations with Madrid’s 386 per 100,000 below the national average, and well under half the 1,160 rate reported in Catalunia where the authorities are looking at reimposing local mobility restrictions.
The rise in cases is due to the Delta variant of the virus which was first detected in India earlier this year and is considered more aggressive and contagious than previous variants.
The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, promised yesterday, Saturday, July 17, that half of the population will have the complete schedule of the vaccine against covid-19 by the end of next week. Sanchez stated that the target of reaching the all important herd immunity threshold of 70% by late August is on track.
Sánchez announced this during his speech while at a commemorative event with the mayor of Seville and socialist candidate for the Presidency of the Junta de Andalucía, Juan Espadas to mark the “milestone” of adminstering 50 million vaccine doses.
Referring to recent data provided by the Ministry of Health, Sánchez is convinced that next week one in two Spaniards will have the complete guideline and will be protected against the coronavirus. “And yes, we will reach 70% of the vaccinated population” before the end of the summer, he said.
