The Spanish region of Catalonia has decided to end from Friday January 28 the obligation to present a health pass to enter bars, restaurants and sports halls, considering it ineffective in the face of the great contagiousness of Omicron.
Read alsoSpain: lifting of the curfew in Catalonia
"
A significant part of the population is again likely to be infected with the virus
", because of Omicron, "
regardless of their vaccination status or the fact of having already contracted the disease
", justified, in a press release , the regional government, which thus follows the advice of its committee of experts.
"
As a result, the effectiveness of mandatory use of the COVID certificate is decreasing
," he added.
This decision was published Thursday in the regional official journal.
A still very high number of cases
The health pass has been in effect to enter bars, restaurants and sports halls since the end of November in Catalonia, a tourist region of 7.7 million inhabitants.
If the number of cases is still very high in the region, hospitals are not as saturated as the authorities might have feared in their most pessimistic scenarios.
The region therefore lifted most of its restrictions, ending restaurant occupancy gauges on Tuesday and scrapping the ten-person limit for private gatherings.
A week ago, she also lifted the curfew that had been in effect between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. in Barcelona and much of the region since late December.
The only restriction still in force is the closure of nightclubs.
Read alsoCovid-19: extended curfew in Catalonia
In Spain, where the regions are responsible for health, some have introduced a health pass to enter certain public places.
Despite a high vaccination rate, with 90.7% of the population over the age of 12 fully vaccinated, coronavirus cases have exploded since late December in Spain, which has one of the highest incidence rates in 'Europe.