While in other countries, significantly more punished by Ómicron, the sport has adopted new restrictions, such as in Germany, where stadiums have once again closed their doors to fans, in Spain the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System has already put on the table a series of measures for massive sporting events with the aim of stopping the rapid spread of this variant of the coronavirus.
Given the complicated epidemiological situation, he considers essential «the evaluation and control of aspects such as capacity, sectorization and traceability of attendees, the need to maintain distances, the mandatory use of a mask, accesses, the movement of attendees in the areas common, cleaning, hygiene and disinfection measures, as well as the ventilation of interior spaces, the relevance of not allowing certain activities such as the consumption of drink, food or tobacco and the requirement of taking the temperature of the attendees ”.
The document of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System includes specific measures, which have yet to be approved, for the sports competitions of the National Professional Soccer League and the League of the Association of Basketball Clubs (ACB), as well as other competitions and mass events. These are common and minimum measures for the entire Spanish territory and for the period between January 1 and January 31, 2022.
This document also includes coordinated response actions for the control of Covid transmission, proposes common criteria for the interpretation of the basic indicators in the National Health System, and establishes alert levels that determine actions proportional to the level of transmission risk according to the situation, activity and context of each territory.
Natural or mechanical ventilation
While waiting to set a maximum capacity allowed for competitions depending on whether they are in closed or open venues, or the way to organize access flows to stadiums or pavilions, the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System recommends, among other actions the mandatory use of the mask, the prohibition of eating or drinking during events and the establishment of cleaning and disinfection protocols.
The most striking measure is the recommendation to use the «Natural ventilation permanently “, and” if this is not possible, forced ventilation (mechanical)». “The installation, revision and maintenance of mechanical ventilation systems will be carried out by qualified professional technicians to adapt the system to the specifications of the establishment”, explains the document.
In a recent interview in the sports newspaper AS, the Secretary of State for Sports, José Manuel Franco, advanced that he was “in favor of being more demanding in the mandatory use of masks and the distance so as not to suspend competitions.” And as for the possible public restrictions to stop Ómicron’s advance, he was very clear: “We have taken many steps forward and we would still have to go back in this area.” «We do not have the competence, it is Health through the Autonomous Communities. Legally, we cannot do things that in some case would be desirable, “he explained.
