The pandemic has not gone away and subsequently, Governments across mainland Europe are starting to implement more restrictions to combat it, and Spain, including the Canary Islands, are no different. Although the scenario has changed notably thanks to the success of the vaccination campaigns, there are still many people who refuse to get inoculated, and the restrictions are aimed at combating the 6th wave of Covid among this group.
This was demonstrated yesterday (Thursday) with the announcement made by the Vice President of the Canary Islands, Antonio Olivera, about an agreement being adopted by the Governing Council that gives free rein for certain activities considered as risky in the islands, to request use of the Covid certificate. Or, what is effectively the same, the unvaccinated will be penalized on the basis that they have become a factor that encourages the pandemic and the spread of the virus.
For this measure to become a reality, Olivera explained that the Minister of Health, Blas Trujillo, has been asked to draw up an action plan for next week in which a catalogue of activities likely to increase coronavirus infections will be listed, and which could request the use of the Covid certificate.
In addition, he announced that, pending the presentation of the aforementioned report by the Ministry of Health, this obligation to present the certificate will apply to activities in closed spaces, which get very crowded, cannot guarantee social distancing or where masks need to be removed frequently.
Domestic flights:
As of December 1st, the Covid certificate will be required again from passengers arriving in the Islands on domestic flights from other parts of Spain, as is already required by international ones, given that there will be an increase in arrivals from Spain over the 5-day bank holiday weekend and Christmas fortnight.
For now, passengers on inter-island flights will continue to be exempt from presenting the Covid certificate.
Judicial ruling:
Regarding the problems that a measure like this can give when it comes to having a judicial endorsement from the Supreme Court, Olivera acknowledged that “the most advisable thing” will be to request judicial ratification from the TSJC, but will wait for the Health proposal first.
The truth is that, in addition to the Canary Islands, nine other regions of Spain have begun to pressure the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, to implement the use of the Covid Certificate at a national level to access certain spaces, so that, according to some regional governments, they can be given legal protection to take a measure that has already been overthrown by several higher courts of Justice.
