Statement on the situation of the coronavirus in the Canary Islands.

Dear pre-collegiate or collegiate, 

Matías Fonte-Padilla, as dean, together with the Governing Board and on behalf of the COBCAN Official College of Biologists of the Canary Islands, wish to continue sending a message of reassurance regarding new cases of COVID-19 coronavirus in the Canary Islands, and communicates that:

1. There is no biological or epidemiological reason to justify excessive alarm and unwarranted fear of this disease, which, although it is new in our territory, does not in any case pose a serious risk to the population. It is transmitted by very direct and continuous contact, and it is not a serious disease.
2. New cases will continue to occur in the Canary Islands, such as the recent ones in La Laguna, without this worsening the situation. They will occur in places with people especially vulnerable to contagious diseases. That there are more cases does not mean that they are more serious.
3. In order not to continue feeding this alarm, it is recommended not to forward news without ensuring the veracity of the same. Try not to give it more importance than it has.
4. The suspension of public acts or of crowds of people, nor of congresses is not justified. The closure of public, private or business centers is also not justified. This includes that all sporting events and traditional festive events can be carried out with complete normality.
5. There is no risk for traveling by any means of transport or staying in establishments.
6. Do not be alarmed when suffering from its symptoms, since they are similar to other diseases, so it can be easily confused.
7. No personal or group decisions should be made based on fear of this disease, since it is a mild disease. For example, wearing face masks in public places unnecessarily increases fear. With respect to travel, if it were to avoid getting illnesses, you could not travel anywhere, because in all regions there are contagious and more dangerous diseases, such as the flu.
8. The term "risk zone" is being misused, and creates unwarranted fear. By traveling to a certain place there is no greater probability of being infected, unless there is prolonged and continuous contact with an infected person. To explain it better: for a canary, the south of Tenerife or La Laguna is the risk zone. However, for a foreign tourist “Canary” is the risk zone, and for a French “Spain” it is the risk zone, and for a non-EU “Europe” it is the risk zone. It is not true that a territory is really a "risk zone" where a person will surely become infected.
9. On the part of the Canarian health authorities, the tendency is to control case by case, without the isolation of groups of people being necessary. It is working correctly, taking appropriate measures for each specific case.
10. If you think you might have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who has this disease, call 112 and report it, they will give you the guidelines to follow. Like any other disease of this type, you should take home remedies, then medications to alleviate symptoms, and if it worsens, go to your health center.
11. Health personnel throughout Spain have tests that are perfectly available and cheap, and are highly effective. If positive, a second check is carried out at a Research Institute in Madrid.
12. There is no need to buy masks. The use of masks is not appropriate. Not only are they not effective, they also create unnecessary social alarm. In addition, there are diseases that do need the use of masks, and a lack of supplies for them is being detected.
13. As it is a virus, antibiotics are not effective, so it is not necessary to take them either, except with a medical prescription.
14. There are authorities and governments, such as Italy, that are taking excessively drastic measures regarding this disease, which may be partially effective in spreading but which increase the population's fear of this disease. From COBCAN we consider them completely unjustified from a biological and epidemiological point of view, since the severity of the disease is already well known.
15. The vaccine will take a long time to develop, since it is a process that requires many prior checks and tests in animals and people. When it is available, the health authorities will determine if its administration will be recommended. Many contagious diseases are overcome by the immune system of people without the need for a vaccine, as is also the case with this coronavirus.
16. To protect yourself from the virus, it is enough to lead a healthy and healthy lifestyle. It is recommended, as it was also before: wash your hands with soap and water, do not sneeze over people or objects, eat a healthy and balanced diet, do sports, keep up to date with medicines and medical check-ups, and any other suitable habit .

To affirm the above points, we rely only on serious and proven research. As biologist studies on this virus and disease progress, we can affirm today that:

1. It is a type of mild respiratory illness, it is not a type of flu. This virus and the disease it generates is already well known to scientists.
2. If a person is infected, an incubation period passes, after which the symptoms appear and the disease develops. It lasts about 8 days, after which the person heals and becomes immunized.
3. Mortality is still very low, less than 0.7% of those affected in Spain.
4. Of the more than 3,000 deaths reported by the media, more than 2,900 have occurred in a specific region of China.
5. In Spain we have a first-class health system, a fairly high average population health, much better infrastructure, and consolidated hygiene habits.
6. The seasonal change towards spring and summer will decrease its global expansion.
7. The incubation period can be up to 14 days asymptomatic.
8. The disease can be passed almost without symptoms, or very mild.
9. Symptoms are fever, sneezing, shortness of breath. Sometimes it is accompanied by diarrhea.
10. Its symptoms are similar to other diseases, so it can be easily confused.
11. It is mild in people with a healthy immune system, affecting people with other serious respiratory pathologies, therefore it acts as an aggravating factor.
12. Very few cases have been described in minors, affecting above all very elderly people who also suffered from other pathologies. These already weakened people must follow adequate hygiene measures to avoid this and other infections.
13. For there to be contagion, there must be direct and continued contact with another affected person. There are no cases of contagion by sporadic contact between people. So there are no cases of dispersion in airplanes or other means of transport used by the already infected.
14. The virus is transmitted in the droplets of breathing or sneezing, without projecting beyond one meter. If some droplets arrive directly at a route of entry from another person, contagion occurs (mouth, nose, eyes). Continued contact is necessary.
15. The survival of the virus outside the human body ranges from minutes to days, depending on the temperature and the products on the surface, rapidly decreasing its contagion capacity.
16. During the time that it is outside the human body they deactivate and die. That is why it is not transmitted neither by objects, nor money, nor packages.
17. It is very sensitive to changes in temperature, and to soapy or alcoholic products.
18. A normal cleaning of the surfaces is enough to deactivate it.

We remain at your entire disposal for any clarification in this regard. Thanks for your attention. COBCAN Official College of Biologists of the Canary Islands .