The Generalitat ignored the European Union and the WHO in its original Christmas reopening plan, amended on Friday with new restrictions due to the increase in infections that health experts identify with the start of the third wave of the pandemic.

On December 2, the Catalan Government approved its Plan to adapt the social activity of Christmas and the end of the year in the Covid-19, which made internal mobility, the curfew and the opening of the restaurant on holidays more flexible .

Measures that collided head-on with the alert launched by the European authorities, as admitted by the Catalan Executive itself in its reopening plan.

«Both the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have warned of the risks of relaxing current measures to contain the Covid-19 outbreak to facilitate social interaction for the of the festive period of Christmas and change of the year ”, specified the document of the Procicat, the entity directed by the Department of Health and Interior of the Generalitat, which defines the measures to contain the coronavirus.

The document, to which EL MUNDO has had access, continued: «Specifically, the latest ECDC report has concluded: 'We anticipate that if the countries that have implemented new response measures in October or November will lift these measures on December 21, 2020 , allowing people to reunite more freely, there would be a subsequent increase in hospital admissions for Covid-19 in those countries as early as the first week of January 2021. If the measures were lifted on December 7, that increase of hospitalization can begin to occur before December 24 ».

Despite collecting notices from the authorities, the Generalitat assumed the risk of neglecting them.

Thus, in his reopening plan he stated: “However, maintaining a minimum level of social activity is important for

emotional well-being

.

For this reason, mechanisms must also be envisaged that allow safe social and family gatherings and meetings.

The Catalan Executive also alleged that "it must be considered that, taking into account the family nature of these festivities, there will be the added difficulty of the mourning of the almost 16,000 families affected by the death of a relative by Covid-19."

Thus, the Generalitat not only authorized the restaurant to remain open, but extended its hours until one in the morning on December 25 and 31.

Forced reverse gear

Last Friday, after verifying the poor evolution of the pandemic data, the Catalan Government had to backtrack and apply new restrictions to bars and restaurants, so that they can only serve breakfast and lunch, in two bands: from 7.30 to 9.30 a.m. for breakfasts, and from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for meals.

For dinners, they can only offer home delivery, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

The vice president of the Government, Pere Aragonès, and the Minister of the Presidency, Meritxell Budó, acknowledged that these measures represent a "step backwards" in the de-escalation plan.

Although they will be reviewed on December 28, the restrictions will be in effect until January 11 and may be tightened if health data deteriorates.

«It cannot be the Christmas we would like, we know that we are not doing well and given the realization that the increase in infections has not stabilized and continues to grow, the Government has decided to act because we have to stop the covid whatever it takes, whatever the cost », Said Aragonès.

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