More business associations have joined the platform for health and vaccines which last week sent a letter to President Armengol demanding an acceleration to the vaccination programme in order to save the tourism season. There are now more than thirty. They include the biggest hitters, such as the Confederation of Balearic Business Associations, and can now also count on the backing of the first hotel chain to join - Meliá.
There has yet to be a response to their letter from Armengol, although the president has of course been issuing assurances about vaccinating the population within three months. A question at present is which three months, given the limited supplies of doses.
For business there can be no questioning. The vaccination has to be done rapidly, the business tune now one of sheer frustration mixed with despair and criticism of the government.
The words of Maria Frontera, the president of the Majorca Hoteliers Federation, hide none of these, but it is perhaps the despair above all that comes through. Business has well understood the difficulties, but the gloves are now off and the message is clear. Stop the posturing of so-called social dialogue, mass vaccination now. “The debacle is total,” Frontera said on Thursday.
It has taken much to push business to become openly critical, but in a way it has been the promise of the vaccine which has created this push. Salvation beckons, but for now is out of anyone’s grasp.