- Andrew Atkinson reports from Los Alcazares, San Pedro del Pinatar and Lo Pagan, Murcia.
SAN Juan bonfires went ahead on the beaches of Los Alcazares on June 23 despite councils – including Cartagena – prohibiting celebrations for a second consecutive year, due to COVID-19.
A maximum of 30 people were allowed to celebrate San Juan, but only with the compulsory wearing of masks and with prior notice given to the local police and Civil Protection.
In San Pedro del Pinatar, Lo Pagan and San Javier Social centres for pensioners have reopened after 15 months closure.
The Josè Benedicto and Josè Espinosa centres in San Pedro are once again seeing activity in their common rooms following easing of coronavirus restrictions, with the favourite pastime of playing cards and dominoes taking place. Capacity is restricted to 50% with groups limited to six per table.
“It was necessary to close social centres, due to many elderly people going through a tough time, being a group mostly affected by COVID-19,” said San Javier mayor Jose Miguel Luengo.
“They can now resume their lives, with the peace of mind that being vaccinated gives them. Little-by-little we can return to normality,” he added.
Monitoring of 33,133 residents in care homes in Spain was carried out after vaccinations were given against COVID-19.
The Messenger RNA vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna were seen to reduce risks of residents dying from coronavirus by 97%.
Data from December 27, 2020 to April 4, 2021 saw vaccines reduce chances of contracting COVID-19 by 71%, according to the Ministry of Health. The study was conducted in conjunction with the Carlos III Health Institute.
Over 20,000 patients have died in care homes in Spain during the coronavirus pandemic.
