The increases in transmission of coronavirus according to the different mutations

We now have a cumulative incidence of more than 1,100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, it has grown 139 points in three days. To understand this ‘explosion’ of contagions, we must take into account the variants that are circulating right now. As the virus “changes”, it is spreading to more and more people. This data reveals a study available in medrxiv, although it has not yet been peer-reviewed.

Self sick leave in Catalonia

To prevent the collapse of the clinics, in Catalonia, since today, the “autobajas” have been started again. There, it is no longer necessary to go to the doctor or give a positive test in coronavirus to request the discharge. The Catalan Government has put in place an automatic system for requesting it. That is, you just need to log in online, fill in the data and answer a form to get the 5-day discharge.

This measure is a relief for some outpatient clinics since they say that this procedure takes up 30% of their time. On the other side of the coin are the employers who say that this way there can be frauds of people who can use this method to miss work even if they are not infected.

New variants of a coronavirus

Those responsible for this increase in infections and causes of the seventh wave are the omicron sublicenses BA.4 and BA.5. These are highly contagious variants that may have the ability to bypass vaccines, although their symptoms are proving to be milder. However, in this point vaccines have also played a decisive role since thanks to them cases that could have been serious are mild thanks to the inoculation of them and the great vaccination coverage of Spain.

Although the incidence has increased, it is not known what the real impact of the wave is because at the moment only the infections of people over 60 are counted. This has reopened the debate on whether it is necessary to reintroduce masks in closed or open spaces with a large influx of people. For the moment, Sanidad leaves this in a recommendation and refers to the responsibility to contain this seventh wave that comes in mid-summer when social interactions increase.