A leading Spanish epidemiologist has said the country ‘deserves’ to go back into a full national lockdown

A leading Spanish epidemiologist has said the country ‘deserves’ to go back into a full national lockdown after easing measures caused a spike in Covid infections. 

Juan Martinez, the ex-director of public health for Madrid which is itself at the heart of the new wave of infections, said the harsh measures are ‘probably’ the only way to bring the virus back under control.

He spoke out after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez ruled out returning to a national lockdown that was put in place in March and succeeded in reducing cases, but crippled the country’s economy.