Date Published: 02/12/2021
ARCHIVED - Close contacts of suspected Omicron cases must quarantine in Spain
Experts believe there is a “high” possibility of the Covid variant spreading throughout Spain
As cases of the South African coronavirus variant continue to pop up across Europe, with three already detected in Spain, the Public Health Commission announced on Tuesday November 30 that everyone who has come into contact with a case of Covid suspected of being of the Omicron strain must quarantine for 10 days, regardless of whether or not they are fully vaccinated.
In its latest update of the Covid-19 Early Detection, Surveillance and Control Strategy, authorities in Spain have specified that a “close contact” relates to any person who has been within two metres of the infected patient for more than 15 minutes. Health experts have already classed Omicron as a variant of concern and reiterated on Tuesday that possibility of it spreading throughout Spain is “high”.
Given that the actual strain of Covid isn’t immediately revealed at the time of testing, it is recommended that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people quarantine if there is a chance their close contact could have either the Omicron, beta or gamma strains, "either because of preliminary information through specific PCR or because the case is part of an outbreak that includes cases produced by said variants".
The Public Health Commission agreed that “the risk of new introductions of Omicron in Spain is considered very high” and thus has requested that people take extra precautions this festive season, specifically by limiting the number of people who gather socially over Christmas.
Minister Darias and the health experts are set to meet again this Thursday to examine the evolution of the Omicron variant.
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