Experts want alerts levels to stay the same for all islands

Several experts have expressed their concern at the imminent arrival of the Carnivals, and have requested to keep the current restrictions in force for a longer period of time.

The advisor for the Scientific Committee, Lluis Serra, stated: “Let's forget about Carnivals and Easter, because it is down to individual responsibility, we have to save lives, and to reach the summer with as many people vaccinated as possible”.

He highlighted that “It is very easy to increase infections, every 15 days we have an increase, costs us 6 weeks to recover.”

The professor of Microbiology, Preventive Medicine and Public Health of the ULL, and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Canary Islands Government, Antonio Sierra, said that, “although the data invites a relaxation of the measures, it is counterproductive with the Carnivals around the corner".

"We cannot be confident that we have beaten this virus yet, especially when only 4% of the population are vaccinated. With the data, Tenerife could drop to level 1, and Gran Canaria to 2, but, in my opinion, despite the fact that obviously they are not going to be held officially, the Carnivals are a great threat and we should prudently maintain the current levels of restrictions for at least one more week”.

Sierra understands the views of business owners of bars, cafes, restaurants, commerce and services, but added, "although the data urges us to lower the levels, we must maintain them and be prudent so as not to regret it later.”

The Head of the Epidemiology for the regional government, Amós García, pointed out that, "although the situation is favourable, it is convenient to go ahead and avoid having an increase in the number of meetings that allows the increase in infections." He recalled that “we are on the eve of special time for Canarians, in which, although the Carnival will be virtual, it scares me because there will be many private parties. I am concerned that in those meetings we will loosen up, lower our guard and that will result in another upturn in cases ”, recalling what happened at Christmas in Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.