Decision on extending use of Covid-19 certificate looms as pandemic indicators worsen

Covid-19 health passes – which demonstrate proof of vaccination, a negative test or of having had the virus – may soon be required for entry into more indoor establishments open to the public as pandemic indicators in Catalonia worsen.

Currently only required in nightclubs and events in hotels and restaurants with indoor dance floors, Gemma Craywinckel, the director of the CatSalut public health service, believes the measure should be in place in restaurants, theaters, and cinemas too.

In an interview with public broadcaster TV3 on Sunday, Craywinckel said that a decision was yet to be made – although one could be announced as early as Tuesday – but said Covid-19 certificates "should be used" in other venues because of the virus' "very high" transmission rate.

Whether or not the government will be able to implement this restriction, if it does indeed deem it necessary, will depend on Catalonia's High Court, which will have to greenlight the measure as it infringes upon constitutional freedoms and liberties. In the Basque Country, where authorities had attempted to implement health passes in nightclubs and restaurants with more than 50 diners, the Basque High Court ruled against the proposed restriction on Monday.

Worsening Covid-19 indicators

On November 21, the latest day for which figures are available, the transmission rate stood at 1.46, up by just under 25% in two weeks.

Meanwhile, the outbreak risk, which is calculated using an EPG index found by multiplying the average spread of the virus over the past seven days by the cumulative incidence over the past two weeks, is now considered to be 'very high'. At 207 on Sunday, it has grown by a staggering 213% over the same period.

The number of hospitalized Covid-19 patients has increased by 60.44% from November 7 to November 21, with those requiring ICU care up by 35%.

Covid-19 deaths are yet to grow significantly, largely due to widespread vaccination amongst the population: 85.3% of people over the age of 12, that is to say, those who are currently eligible for the jab, have had at least one dose, while 83.9% are fully vaccinated.

They still, however, concern health authorities as deaths tend to lag a few weeks behind hospitalizations, immunity is beginning to wane amongst those who were vaccinated months ago, and more people socialize indoors as temperatures drop.