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Scientists warn of Spain’s ‘premature’ exit from coronavirus lockdown

Spanish authorities say they trust that plans to allow the return of nonessential workers to factories and construction sites next week won’t cause a significant resurgence in coronavirus infections, as some scientists have warned.
The move would not see a return of commercial activity in restaurants or shops other than supermarkets, pharmacies or newsstands, but has raised questions about the timing in easing some restrictions as the outbreak remains intense.
“We are not under the impression that these measures will increase importantly the transmission (of the virus),” the spokeswoman of Spain’s health emergency coordination center, María José Sierra, said Friday. “We wouldn’t be adopting them otherwise.”
Some experts had warned that relaxing the two-week lockdown on a broader part of the manufacturing and construction sector comes too early.
Barcelona University’s Dr. Antoni Trilla, who has advised the government in the response to the pandemic, said in a radio interview Thursday that confinement measures should continue.
The doctor, who said the government had not contacted a group of advising scientists ahead of partially lifting the confinement, said: “It is logical to try to return to normalcy in all the economic activity, but this must be accompanied by a good system to detect and isolate and treat the new cases that occur.”
Margarita del Val, a virologist from CSIC, Spain’s main public scientific body, said that loosening the lockdown on the industry is “hasty” and that any rollback needs to be accompanied by a program to isolate new coronavirus carriers. Del Val supported the idea of a Europe-wide mobile app that shows the proximity of people to those who have tested positive.
As a way to lower new possible infections, Health Ministry Salvador Illa announced that the government will distribute reusable masks at subway stations and other public transportation hubs. Shops will remain close and office workers are still encouraged to work from home as Spain essentially rolls back to the lockdown situation two weeks ago, when most people were sheltered at home.
Sierra said that the social distancing that was in place would be enough to avoid new significant outbreaks.
With 605 new deaths recorded overnight, the lowest increase since March 24, the country continues to see both mortality and contagion rates drop.
The COVID-19 illness has claimed at least 15,843 lives and officially infected 152,446 although authorities have acknowledged that the true scale of the pandemic in the country could be much higher. For most people, the symptoms are mild or moderate.
Friday’s Cabinet meeting approved a 20 billion-euro fund to help small businesses and the self-employed cope with the economic fallout of the outbreak.
Illa said it’s too early to say what comes next for 47 million Spaniards who have been quarantined for four weeks.
A three-week survey of 30,000 households should help understand how many people are or have been infected and guide any further reductions in the lockdown.
The state of emergency has been extended to April 26, although Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has said he will most likely seek an extension.
source: The Associated Press
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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