In a study dating back to 2008, demographic research carried out by the Spanish research institute CSIC predicted that Spain would top the perennial countries in the world, after estimates indicate that its older segment of the population would increase its representation to nearly 40% in 2050, for the category Age over 65 years, which is the group that now constitutes about 17% of the population, approximately seven million people. According to the same study, at least a quarter of this group was over 80 years old, allowing Spain by 2050 to convert to the world's largest perennial country.

Not surprising

This is not surprising, as Spain, which has an excellent health sector reputation, is considered one of the highest proportions in the reconstruction of the population, with the average life expectancy of the individual reaching about 82 years for men, and 85 years for women, according to the numbers of the World Health Organization in 2018, which is This places Spain third in the world in this respect, with expectations that it will take second place instead of Japan in the coming years.

But this may change, as a result of the spread of the Corona epidemic in the country, and the preference of the elderly for raising the daily death toll.

According to a preliminary study, prepared by the Medical Coordination Center for Health Warning at the Ministry of Health in Madrid last March, which included a sample of 16,000 patients with Corona, including 566 deaths, more than 90% of deaths are for people over the age of 70 And among them are just over 65% of those over the age of 80 years, and most of the deceased exhibit symptoms of other health problems, foremost among which are heart and respiratory problems, and diabetes as well.

A whole generation threatened

So it seems that a whole generation of Spaniards, and perhaps at the level of Europe, is threatened, in case the epidemic manages to climb further on the scale of injuries, especially with the health sector's inability to respond to all dangerous cases, or even as a result of its workers having to make preferential fateful decisions for those who need care Aggravating, between an elderly and a boy for example.

This is something that the health sector doctors have been informed of the necessity of adopting, according to a circular distributed to hospitals, which was seen by the press, stipulating that the beds of the intensive care units be left to those who have the ability to live longer, by apologizing to the elderly and then their families.

The government is responsible

But how did we get here? Many blame the government for its delay in responding to the threat of the disease, whose warning winds have been blowing from China since January, and shouts of the pain of its patients have resonated from Italy since February.

In reality, it is possible to mention a number of scientific and logical reasons for the high number of patients in Spain, despite the country's advanced level in the field of health and elderly care, and despite the good reputation enjoyed by Spanish medical research units at the world level, as the Spanish live on A distance from the Europeans in many ways, among them their respect for the permanent family ties, which makes families close, and their members continuously communicate, and this is one of the factors that contributed to raising the rate of disease, because a large percentage of the youth in the country still lives with their families, which is close to 80 % Of the youth population, according to According to 2016 statistics, the family can include elderly members, perhaps grandmother and grandmother, not just parents.

Early studies

According to early studies of the ability of the Corona virus, the virus is rapidly spreading, and it can pass through a slight shade to the youth, making them one of the most important factors for its most prominent spread, and thus the most dangerous for the older segment.

On the other hand, the Spanish sanctify the open lifestyle and love social mixing, which made the idea of ​​limiting movement and total social isolation imposed by the Spanish government, to the point that led the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, to say that the action taken on the 16th of March was to impose The highest state of alert, restrictions on the movement of the population "a difficult decision," and "an exceptional and new measure on our culture."

With some general imposition, which was preceded by strict measures at the level of the capital, the Madridians continued to leave their homes, heading to the resorts in large groups, until the police had to interfere with fines and daily patrols.

Distracting the illusion

But Italy, with its high cases, dispersed that illusion, not only for Sanchez, but for all European leaders, and Spain soon began to catch up with Italy in the number of injured, dead, and massive pressure on the health sector, and then on the paralyzed economy at the present time.

While the European Union was also busy, each country separately, in counting casualties and choosing the best way to confront the invisible enemy, China rushed to help Madrid, first by sending a shipment of medical equipment consisting of 615 thousand units for the presence of the Corona virus, which was distributed Soon, the health sector in the different regions agreed, and it immediately agreed to a deal announced by the Spanish media a few days ago to buy medical equipment to help fight "Corona" by about 432 million euros, also from China.

This coincided with the request of the Spanish government for more European contribution, represented in its request, along with Italy and France, to adopt a new debt mechanism linked to the economic and financial crisis resulting from confronting the new epidemic, a move that does not enjoy the approval of Germany and the Netherlands, and on the other hand, the use of NATO « NATO »to help the armed forces that landed in the war with" Corona "on the 20th of last March, and some of its elements were infected with the virus as well.

At the same time, a cool and general overview of the situation of other European countries, such as France, Germany, and Britain, places most of these countries in almost the same position, especially in putting pressure on the health sector, the economy, and dealing with it as a "transient fever" that is reversible, at a time when it was It spreads like wildfire.

Factual review

We are still in the stage of reviewing the facts, not obtaining results. Among those facts are also several countries, most notably Britain, trying to adopt controversial policies towards the new epidemic such as the herd immunity policy, which the United States was also discussing, and supported by right-wing leaders, including the president Brazil's current Jair Bolsonaro.

On the other hand, prominent in this context, more than one European leader declared that we must prepare for a pandemic affecting 70% of the population, and others said that it may become seasonal and permanent, at a time when politicians and economists fear economic stagnation raises more nightmares than those caused by the epidemic. And since the thing is worth mentioning, the cost of retirement in a country like Spain is around 9200 million euros per month, with annual estimates of approximately 153 billion, while in Britain it is about 164 billion annually, according to the 2019 budget, and close figures can be reached in other European countries , Noting that in a country like Spain, it represents the world Colored producers in which about 20 million, while pensioners represents about nine million, according to the beginning of this year.

The purpose of saying that there is no conspiracy, at least with personal estimates, is not to rid the industrialized world of the cost of caring for its adults and elderly people, who are approaching as a percentage of the formation of half of societies, but rather - at least - that there was a miscalculation of the scale of the tragedy that will befall our planet, and perhaps For generations, God knows best, and the recklessness that did not befit Western democracies claiming to put people first, especially when this person is the founder, the bearer of experience, and the father and mother as well.

The cost of retirement in a country like Spain is about 9200 million euros per month, with annual estimates of 153 billion, while in Britain it is about 164 billion annually, according to the 2019 budget, and it is possible to reach close figures in other European countries, noting that it is in a country such as Spain, the productive workers represent about 20 million, while retirees represent about nine million, according to the beginning of this year.

- With some general imposition, which was preceded by strict measures at the capital level, the Madridians continued to leave their homes, heading to the resorts in large groups, until the police had to interfere with fines and daily patrols.