New daily record of vaccinations administered in Catalonia

Over 125,000 jabs given yesterday leaves 39.8% of population with at least one shot and 23.6% fully immunized

A person receives a Covid-19 vaccination from a medical worker at one of the mass vaccination sites in northern Catalonia (by Anna Pascual)
A person receives a Covid-19 vaccination from a medical worker at one of the mass vaccination sites in northern Catalonia (by Anna Pascual) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

June 9, 2021 02:16 PM

The vaccination programme in Catalonia is growing from strength to strength, with more doses delivered and administered each passing week. 

More and more of the population is becoming immunized to the virus that has paralyzed much of the world for the last 15 months. 

Yesterday, more people were given a vaccine dose than any other day previously in the rollout programme, a total of 125,106

The previous record high was seen on April 14, when 107,306 doses were given. 

Currently, 39.8% of Catalan residents have at least one dose of a vaccine already given to them. 

A total of 23.6% of the population is considered fully immunized, meaning they have two doses administered, one shot of the Janssen vaccine, or else they have recovered from the virus previously and have been given one dose of another jab. 

Meanwhile, 22.2% of residents have been given two jabs of a vaccine that requires two doses. 

Pandemic indicators improving

The number of patients in intensive care due to Covid-19 has now decreased to 197, the first time this number has fallen below 200 in eight months. 

Likewise, the number of hospitalized patients due to the virus is the lowest it's been since last August, 582, and has been steadily declining for over a month.

On Monday, the outbreak risk fell below 100 for the first time since last summer, and it continues to decrease steadily and currently stands at 89. 

The outbreak risk is considered to be low at 30, moderate at 70, high at 100 and very high at 200. It is calculated using an iEPG index - found by multiplying the average spread of the virus over the past seven days by the cumulative incidence over the past two weeks. 

Lower incidence rate can prompt reopening of nightlife

Likewise, other variables are also looking better, such as the number of new Covid-19 transmissions per 100,000 inhabitants in the previous 14 days (IA14). As of June 7, the figure was at 99.44, just under 100, also for the first time since mid-July 2020.

The IA14 will be especially key in deciding about other restrictions being eased or not – for instance,the Spanish and regional governments decided last week to reopen nightclubs in areas reporting 50 or fewer cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the previous 14 days (IA14), among other conditions.

As well as this, places at medium-level risk, which have 50 to 150 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, have the possibility of reopening the sector if the regional government decides to do so. The Catalan government is considering it  at the moment after the successful pilot test held in Sitges last month.

Other figures, such as the new transmissions, are also evidence that the virus is under control. The transmission rate is now under 1 again (as of June 7, 0.90), after reaching above this figure for a week at the start of June. 

This variable marks how many people will get the virus per person infected – above 1 concerns authorities.

May - fewest monthly deaths since July 2020

Inoculations are also accountable for the sharp decrease in number of deaths to do with Covid-19. 

May 2021 is the month that has seen the third fewest deaths related to Covid-19 since the beginning of the health crisis, with 241 - the downward trend has been going on since February, and especially in the spring, when the vaccination rollout picked up pace. 

In April, 535 people lost their lives due to the pandemic, which was already the lowest figure since September, but May saw less than half the fatalities of the previous month. 

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