President Alberto Fernandez received in the Quinta de Olivos to the governor of Buenos Aires, Axel Kicillof, and the Head of Government of the City of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, to analyze the increase in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, a situation that put them on alert at the end of the year.
As explained from the presidency, in the meeting, which lasted 25 minutes, evaluated the increase in cases that have been occurring in recent days and agreed on a call to the population to “Be extremely careful.”
In addition, the three agreed to meet every week to be able to closely monitor the health situation and the daily reports of cases resulting from Covid-19.. They will return to a routine of meetings similar to the one they had at the beginning of the pandemic, when the coronavirus had taken over the agenda.
The meeting sought to be a message in itself. It is a warning to society. That the people decode the message as a sign of the concern in the three governments about the increase in cases and the lack of individual responsibility. For now there will be no restrictive measures.
The concern of the three governments is related to the possibility of a second wave of infections, as has already happened in the United States and Europe, where the number of infected increased exponentially and political and health authorities had to resort again to isolation and strict control of the movement in the streets.
Two weeks ago, the health ministers of the three administrations publicly expressed their concern about the increase in cases. That is why they went out together to ask society to take extreme care for the Christmas and New Year celebrations. All are small signs that were given in order to raise awareness.
Yesterday the Ministry of Health confirmed 11,650 new COVID-19 cases and the figure marked a new growth in the infection rate. In addition, they reported 151 deaths. In the province of Buenos Aires, 4,417 cases and in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires were 996 cases. The context has worsened notably in the last 15 days. The images about what happened in the shopping malls and gastronomic places speak for themselves. Social behavior got out of control.
Alberto Fernández had already shown concern about the growth of covid-19 cases. A week ago he had told his inner circle that he saw a disturbing level of relaxation in people’s behavior. That is why in his last public exhibitions he repeated the same phrase more than once: “The pandemic is not over”.
At Casa Rosada they know that there is not much room to apply restrictive measures.Those that are carried out must be focused so that their fulfillment can be effective. People are exhausted from the restraints but, at the same time, have entered a state of relaxation that health authorities have long perceived.
“We are not closing anything for now, but we want to give a strong warning for the general relaxation”, they specified Infobae from the Buenos Aires governorate. In addition, they clarified: “We depend on social behaviors, compliance with protocols and care.” In the province of Buenos Aires, where cases dropped to 1,000 per day and today they are at 4,000, they argue that in principle the idea is strengthen communication and monitor infections.
In Balcarce 50 they insist with an idea. The arrival of the vaccine did not change the scenario. Only in the middle of the year could there be a significant vaccination level that generates herd immunity. You cannot mix expectation with reality. That is why the national government tries to move quickly in the management so that more vaccines arrive. The faster you get vaccinated, the fewer people will be exposed to the virus. Especially those essential groups and those that are part of risk groups.
The country’s health authorities and the infectious disease specialists who advise the President had been anticipating that the increase in infections was occurring for a single reason: social behavior. The multiplication of social gatherings, the lack of use of chinstraps in the streets and the breach of social distancing are the main arguments that explain the growth of the contagion curve.
On Wednesday of last week the Government reported Restrictions for the entry of flights from Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands and Australia. From December 25 New requirements for the entry and exit of Argentines and residents began to be applied. and foreigners, previously authorized by Migrations. That decision set the tone that the concern in the Government was growing every day. Today’s meeting was a more consistent sign.
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