When immigrant pateras arrive in the Balearic Islands, Healthcare Professionals have to follow a series of protocols and check every person from the boat, before they are assessed by the Red Cross.
During the pandemic a Ministry of Health UVAC was sent to the immigrant processing centre in the port of Palma, where the immigrants are separated into groups so that they do not mix with people from other pateras.
They are tested for antigens and if one person tests positive everyone from the same patera is given a PCR test.
According to the Ministry of Health's immigration protocol, all positives must be hospitalised. If no places are available in the medical wings of hotels they are taken to Sant Joan de Déu Hospital.
If the person who tests positive is a minor, they are transferred to the paediatric unit at Son Espases Hospital and all close contacts are quarantined at the Bellver Hotel, for ten days.