The Balearic President, Francina Armengol told parliament on Tuesday that the Balearics are ready if there's another wave of Covid-19 and said 983 Health Professionals who were hired to reinforce staffing during the pandemic will have their contracts renewed.
Ciudadanos Spokesperson, Patricia Guasp pointed out that the Balearics is one of the few Communities where the cumulative incidence rate has risen in the last few days, which coincided with the closure of the General Hospital Covid Unit. She also stressed that the new variants in the UK and Germany, are already presenting worrying figures and asked President Armengol if the island's health services are ready to face a possible new rise in covid cases.
“If there’s a 6th wave of Covid in our Community, we are prepared,” replied President Armengol. She explained that most of the devices put in place to deal with previous waves are still in operation, such as the Coordination Centre Trackers, the Infocovid Unit, the Educovid group, the Covid-express and UVAC and that contingency plans are in place at hospital to accommodate a maximum of 1,000 patients on Covid wards and around 300 in the ICUs.
She also noted that 82% of the target population in the Balearic Islands is now fully vaccinated.
"We understand that a sixth wave will not be comparable to the others we have experienced, but we must continue to take the necessary precautions,” she warned.
Guasp criticised Health Minister, Patricia Gómez for denying that there have been days when the Son Espases Hospital emergency rooms were so saturated they collapsed, as reported by the Nursing Technicians’ Union, Simebal, and asked President Armengol to strengthen Primary Care.
Guasp went on to say that Primary Care work reduces hospital admissions by 12% and demanded that the President strengthen this area as a matter of priority.
She then accused the Government of failing to find a solution for the long waiting lists for surgery and diagnoses.
"We are recovering surgical activity in hospitals in order to lower the waiting lists," replied President Armengol.