Closure of bars 'begin to take effect' as Covid-19 transmission rate drops

The measures to face the second wave of Covid-19 approved two weeks ago, including the closure of bars and restaurants, "are beginning to take effect," according to the health secretary general, Marc Ramentol.

Yet, for him, "now is definitely not the moment for optimism."

One of Catalonia's top epidemiologists, Hospital Clínic's Antoni Trilla, also said that the restrictions are "taking effect," but the pressure in health centers will only feel this trend in a few weeks.

Some of the variables that show the current situation of the pandemic in Catalonia are no longer on a sharp rise, and some are even dropping.

Sharp rise trend stopped

The transmission rate – the number of people each positive case is transmitting the virus to – reached 1.53 a week ago, but dropped to 1.12 as of November 2.

The authorities' aim is to see this figure below 1.

As for the outbreak risk, it had grown at a fast pace in October, moving from 150 points in the iEPG index in mid-September to 904 on October 31 – but in the past couple of days it fell to 835 as of November 2.