In parliament on Tuesday, President Armengol said that restrictions adopted by the government had led to a 49% lowering of the cumulative incidence of coronavirus cases in a matter of two weeks.
She added that de-escalation, a relaxation of the restrictions, must be carried out in a calm manner. While the improvement was good news, the health situation "remains delicate, especially in intensive care units, while the British strain must also be taken into account". De-escalation needs to be done in a safe way to ensure that there is not "a fourth wave". Decisions will be made with the advice of experts and through discussions with business in agreeing the best measures to take.
The restrictions, Armengol explained, are determined by the health and hospital situation and that the one adopted in the Balearics had worked. The cumulative incidence in Mallorca has decreased 50% in two weeks; in Ibiza by 43%, in Minorca by 54% and in Formentera by 56%. "We are the region with the third lowest cumulative incidence."
"We have to be realistic and careful," the president stressed. Lower levels of infection need to be consolidated for a fortnight in order to able to relax measures. Armengol reiterated that the government is in discussions with retailer representatives, as "large stores are not as risky as other situations". The extraordinary cabinet meeting on Friday will set how the relaxation for retail will progress over the next fifteen days.
Patricia Guasp, spokesperson for Ciudadanos, challenged Armengol in demanding that the plan for "flexibility" (relaxation of measures) is made known now. "The public needs reliability and certainty. Each day that passes is key to the survival of the productive sector and of small businesses which are drowning and require help and solutions."