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Covid-19: Junta's Health minister appeals for people to stay home from 8pm

Jesús Aguirre.
Jesús Aguirre. / SUR

  • Jesús Aguirre has suggested the earlier voluntary curfew for Andalucía - which is two hours before the start time set by Madrid

  • ALMUDENA NOGUÉS

Given the national government's refusal to consider bringing forward the start time of Spain's nighttime curfew, which stands from 10pm to 6am, the Andalusian regional government’s Health minister, Jesús Aguirre, has made a direct appeal to the public to voluntarily stay home two hours earlier – 8pm – to try and slow the worrying curve of the third wave of the disease.

Spain's state of alarm doesn’t give regional governments the power to order home confinement or extend the time period of the curfew regardless of the progress of the disease so Aguirre has pleaded, “As a doctor and health councillor, I ask all Andalusians to stay at home from 8pm in the evening,” adding “I stay at home from 8pm."

“This third wave is totally different to the others. It is more explosive and we hope it will not be more virulent.”

“This is a big wave that is going to last and therefore we ask for the utmost caution. We can only stop it by acting together.”

Given the latest figures on the evolution of the pandemic in the region, Aguirre explained that the 7,409 positives recorded this Thursday is the highest figure since the beginning of this health and economic crisis.

The 54 new deaths brings the total to 5,760 in Andalucía since the start of the pandemic.

"These figures should make you think," said Aguirre. “We have tough weeks ahead. We are experiencing a very important spike even though we are still below the national level."

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