Daniel Ruiz, professor of mathematics at the University of the Balearic Islands, is forecasting that there will be between 3,000 and 4,000 cases of coronavirus per day next week. Javier Arranz, spokesperson for the regional infectious diseases committee, agrees that this is possible, the forecast based on current data, which have seen daily numbers climb to around 2,000.
Arranz believes that many cases are going undetected, as people who are asymptomatic don't know that they have the disease. Many people are, however, taking antigen tests before meeting up with family and friends. Although the Omicron variant is less virulent and the vaccine has contributed to reducing symptoms, the fact that infections have multiplied exponentially is translating into an increase in pressure on the health service, although not in the same proportions as a year ago - it is being felt by primary care far more than in hospitals.
He doesn't expect the full impact of the holiday period to be reflected in the data until the second or third week of January.
Meanwhile, specialist in public health and preventive medicine, Joan Carles March, argues that the rising number of cases "will force us to take measures to limit mobility and interactions". He is advocating working from home as much as possible and scrapping upcoming celebrations, e.g. the Kings parades. He also feels that it would be desirable to limit mobility by reintroducing a curfew.