Health minister opens door to loosening lockdown measures in Lleida

The minister of health, Alba Vergés, has opened the door to modifying some of the measures that are currently in place in Lleida to contain the Covid-19 outbreaks. 

Vergés called the situation “much more controlled” than before, and says that the trend is going “downwards” in statements to radio station RAC1. 

Vergés explained that both she and the interior minister Miquel Buch will meet today in Lleida with mayors of the affected territories and will make a “proposal” within the framework of the Civil Protection about how to now move forward. Currently, tight lockdown measures are in place in the area, which has prompted anger and protests from business owners in Lleida this week.

Despite the improvement in the situation, Alba Vergés warned that the situation "remains complicated," that community transmissions are still happening, and that the situation in hospitals is "serious." “In no case are we talking that it’s all over,” she affirmed.

Vergés defended that the measures applied to the Segrià county "have worked", although she acknowledged that they can be "difficult for everyone to understand." She added, however, that it must be understood that everything that has been done aims to avoid worse situations.

The minister detailed that now "half of the positives are asymptomatic" and stated that this shows that "practically everyone" is being detected. She was also pleased to have "changed the trend."

However, she stated that Lleida is the most worrying healthcare situation in all of Catalonia.