With the whole of Europe concerned about the rapid spread of the new strain of coronavirus that has appeared in the south of England, Spain has once given meaning to the famous saying vuelva usted mañana - come back tomorrow - as today is a holiday. A total of eleven European countries had decided by 9pm on Sunday to ban flights with the United Kingdom in an attempt to contain the spread of the new strain, which is considered 70% more contagious than those known up till now. The response from the Spanish authorities could not have been more disappointing: to ask the EU for a joint position and, for the time being, to do no more than inform passengers that checks on the required PCR tests will be strengthened.
On Sunday, a total of 277 flights from the United Kingdom landed at Spanish airports and over the last month the average has been around 6,000 arrivals daily from this destination. That's a lot of people and it is not well understood why the Spanish government has decided on such a lax position, which also clashes with many statements by epidemiologist Fernando Simón regarding PCR tests in these cases, as he states that at the point of origin they are not very useful. Spain is different. Why? How hard is it to follow what is done by Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Ireland, and so on - up to eleven countries?
Statements by prime minister Boris Johnson calling the situation out of control and closing London and southern England sparked panic in the country with roads and train stations crowded with people trying to get out of the security cordon for any destination. So much so that the Eurotunnel connecting France with the United Kingdom closed on Sunday night. The new strain, believed to have originated in September in London and Kent, has already been detected in the Netherlands, Australia and Denmark. In Italy, a passenger who had returned from the English capital has been put under observation.
At a time when the world was looking forward to the start of vaccination, a new uncertainty arises to return us to harsh reality. The good news is that, according to the German health minister, vaccines will still be effective against the new UK strain. Everything will be very difficult and slow, people mustn't lower their guards and yes, decisions must be taken promptly. Because experience shows that the country that makes a mistake or takes action late ends up paying for it with many more human lives.