STORY: Spain's recent rise in COVID cases shows need to protect vulnerable groups: epidemiologist
DATELINE: Sept. 2, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:31
LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain
CATEGORY: HEALTH

SHOTLIST:
1. various of pedestrians in Spain
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Catalan): ANNA VILELLA, Head of the Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology Service at Barcelona's Clinic Hospital
3. various of pedestrians in Spain
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Catalan): ANNA VILELLA, Head of the Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology Service at Barcelona's Clinic Hospital

STORYLINE:

The recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Spain poses a threat to groups that are vulnerable to the disease, such as the elderly, said an epidemiologist in an interview with Xinhua on Friday.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Catalan): ANNA VILELLA, Head of the Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology Service at Barcelona's Clinic Hospital
"There are more hospitalized patients than a few weeks ago, but the ICUs are not very busy. The problem is among vulnerable groups, who are more at risk if the virus is circulating.
There's widespread transmission and it can affect any group of the population but the problem is that the disease is a more serious threat to those people who are at risk."

A report published on Thursday by the prestigious Carlos III Health Institute showed that the rate of infections detected in primary care centers for the week of August 21 to 27 stood at 130 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 30 cases per 100,000 inhabitants at the end of June.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Catalan): ANNA VILELLA, Head of the Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology Service at Barcelona's Clinic Hospital
"There's a general feeling that the pandemic is over. The World Health Organization (WHO) made it clear that the emergency situation is over but not the pandemic, and that the virus is circulating among us and will continue as long as it finds ways to do so.
The vaccines have protected us and reduced the gravity of the disease, but we're all now aware that the capacity for protection reduces over time, and it's been a few months since people had their last dose."

The Spanish government's Public Health Commission announced in August that the flu vaccination campaign in the autumn will include a booster dose against COVID-19 for those over 60 and anyone with conditions that put them at risk of becoming seriously ill if infected with COVID-19.

In early August, the WHO identified a new COVID subvariant called EG.5 as a "variant of interest." The new strain has been detected in many countries including Spain.

The doctor also suggested that another reason for the rise in COVID cases could be due to the removal of health measures.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Barcelona, Spain.
(XHTV)