lowest percentage of its target population vaccinated is the Balearics.
The percentage of the Balearic target population to have received at least one dose is 40.6%. The
highest percentage in the country is 57% in Asturias. The closest to the Balearics at the bottom of the list are Murcia (43%), the Canaries (43.6%) and the north African city of Melilla (43.8%).
In terms of
immunisation, i.e. both doses, the Balearics is also at the bottom. The 17.7% is behind the Canaries (19.8%) and Melilla (20.5%). Asturias also has the highest immunisation rate - 33.7%. For people over the age of 50 who have been immunised, the Balearics rate is 35.9%, which is again the lowest. Galicia has the highest - 54.4%. Only when it comes to at least one dose for the over-50s is the Balearics not the lowest; it is the second lowest (80.1%) above Melilla with 76.2%.
Critics of Francina Armengol’s government are pointing out that despite the islands having been subject to one of the toughest Covid restrictions regimes in Spain, they remain a UK amber list destination. Why the curfew? Why close bar interiors at 6pm? Why limit gatherings to six or eight? Why test travellers coming from the mainland? These measures cut no ice with the UK government and nor do the constant reminders of the low incidence rate.
The criticisms are unjust. The restrictions have been in place precisely because the Balearics have targeted a June opening-up of tourism and have sought fair treatment. Yes, fair treatment, as the UK is not playing fair. The UK is incoherent in its own advice.
70% of the population can be vaccinated by the summer and tourism can be reactivated.
Molas was speaking at a summit of organisations representing various sectors of the tourism industry - hospitality, nightlife, airlines, cruises, holiday rentals and more. He said that
the government has an obligation to accelerate the vaccination programme. If it is done well, efficiently and intelligently, 70% of the population can be reached. This percentage, he stated, would mean that part of the population is out of danger and that there could be a tourism season.
He called for
all available resources to be mobilised - from private health to the army, hotel facilities, conventions sites and even fleets of buses. The tourism industry, he stressed, is willing to help by providing spaces for vaccination. Workers in the tourism industry, he argued, should be one of the vaccination priority groups, as this would allow businesses to open up safely.