The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands has announced the suspension of activity in clubs and social centers for the elderly for the next fourteen days, as well as visits to social and socio-health residences for the elderly, and visits to hospitals will be restricted. Only day and socio-health centers will maintain their activity for the moment.
This was reported by the Minister of Health, Teresa Cruz, who appeared at a press conference with the Executive's spokesperson, Julio Pérez, after an extraordinary session of the Governing Council where the measures and lines of action in relation to the Covid-19 coronavirus were addressed.
The Minister explained that all cultural, sporting and social events that involve a massive influx of people, that is, that involve more than a thousand people, both in closed and open venues, will also be suspended. This means the suspension this weekend of the Carnival in several municipalities of the islands, although for the moment it has not been confirmed if the measure will affect Lanzarote, where the Carnales of Tinajo and Costa Teguise are scheduled for this weekend. In this regard, the Canarian Executive has specified that "they may be maintained in those cases that do not involve a high concentration of people" and that "each case will be communicated by the competent City Council to the Government of the Canary Islands and the Ministry of Health, which will analyze it jointly with the Ministry of Health".
Regarding school trips, she indicated that those within the islands will be able to take place and those that involve trips abroad will be suspended for the next two months. Regarding the students who are going to come to the Canary Islands in the next few days from communities at risk or from countries at risk, Health is going to make a recommendation to maintain a surveillance activity in terms of temperature and symptoms for the next fourteen days.
Teresa Cruz wanted to make it clear that the Canary Islands "is not a community in a situation of risk" and wants to "continue to contain the virus, preserving the health of citizens and taking these extra measures that go in the direction of protecting target groups, that is, the elderly, sick people and the health collective".
