This time it wasn't supposed to happen. We were supposed to have learned our lesson. But we haven't. We've rushed again and we've we've screwed up again. When will we learn? The result of wanting to do things quickly to make the best of the tourist season and support the economy has placed us in the centre of the fifth wave. Catalonia is now one of the places in Europe with the highest number of covid-19 infections, which is already putting a stop to the arrival of visitors. We are a red spot on the map, and states whose tourists usually visit Catalonia, such as the United Kingdom, Germany and France, have already singled us out as a destination to be avoided. The EU has also made it clear that it is highly inadvisable to come to Catalonia and that it is better for Catalans not to leave our borders. With over 1,000 infections per 100,000 inhabitants, we have a skyrocketing rate that is not abating. The pattern of a year ago has been repeated, with the festival of Sant Joan as the starting signal. But this time we could have predicted it and, moreover, the curve of infections has been even more pronounced than last July. If it were not for the progress in the vaccination (which has gone at a good pace), the situation today would be dramatic. Vaccination has been a lifeline, even though we have already learned that it is far from infallible: it greatly reduces mortality, but not so much contagion. In a way, it has given us a false sense of security.

Catalonia begins this Monday its peculiar 2021 tourist season. At least in the sense that restrictive measures for the entry of visitors to the State have been eased through a Ministry of Health decree, following the recommendations from the European Commission. It will no longer be necessary to have a negative PCR test result, until now mandatory. It will only be necessary to meet one of the following criteria: to have been vaccinated, to provide a negative antigen test result, to present the recovery certificate (having had covid and no longer being infectious) or to present a negative PCR test result. An important leap, and that could still improve during the good weather, which should make it more likely that government forecasts be met: a recovery of over 50% of the €20bn of tourist spending registered in 2019.

The clash between the Spanish Ministry of Health and regions over the agreement on opening times and maximum capacity for the hospitality industry is growing. Both Madrid and the Basque Country advanced in the morning that they would not apply it and they were joined shortly afterwards by the Balearic Islands, governed by the Socialists. The Islands' government had not positioned itself against the measures in the Interterritorial Health Council meeting held on Wednesday. This opens a clash of legitimacy on the role of the Interterritorial Health Council: the Spanish government argues that the decisions taken, even if they are not unanimous, must be binding, while communities claim that it is their competence to regulate on opening times for different premises. The Ministry of Health, however, has opened the door to allowing each community to do what it deems appropriate. In statements to RNE, the minister has defended the measures to "reduce cumulative incidence", but at the same time has avoided raising the prospect of a court case if the regions do not implement the agreement.

A new upsurge in contagions would be a bad sign, both in terms of the real effects (albeit limited, given that the most at-risk groups are those that are beginning to be vaccinated) and in terms of the psychological and economic effects. If we were to suddenly take a collective step backwards and the health indicators were to rise again, it could easily send a message to the international community that Catalonia and Spain are no longer safe, with the effect this could have on tourism. The optimistic message, even too optimistic, that the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, launched this Monday according to which we will have achieved herd immunity by August has a lot to do with the desire to give an international image of security. And this is understandable: in the short term, the return of tourism is an important factor in easing our way out of the crisis. But this message could be turned on its head if the reality of the health situation does not match it in the coming weeks. Because in the next few key weeks vaccination will have to be prioritised over an excessively speedy de-escalation, as nightlife businesses - among others - are seeking, after having been forced to stay shut since last July.

Up to 6,500 people dispersed in some thirty different areas of Barcelona, such as Universitat square, the squares of Gràcia, Arc de Triomf and Bogatell beach, during the first night without curfew. After the state of alarm ended at midnight, some streets of Barcelona were filled with people who wanted to celebrate by drinking on the streets with music, without social distance and often without masks, as if it were a New Year's Eve party.

It's a quarter to twelve and some small groups are already gathering in the Plaça del Poeta Boscà in Barceloneta. A couple of young people are even sniffing a line sitting on a bench. Most of them are drinking and chatting. High-pitched conversations, coloured lights, music and the occasional request for silence escape through the balconies. When the vans of the Guardia Urbana approach, the small groups scatter and run away. Then twelve o'clock arrives, it's midnight and there's no need to ring the bells. A unanimous shout comes from the balconies and runs through the streets. "Happy New Year!", "Freedom!" The night of 8 May, the first night of the end of the curfew, was festive.

A key week towards controlling the pandemic in Catalonia. From this Monday the Department of Health will expand the points of administration of the Pfizer vaccine, because in addition to primary care centres (CAP) people aged between 70 and 79 years will also be vaccinated in places where vaccines from other pharmaceutical companies are already administered. Half of the people in this age group have already received their first dose of covid-19. In absolute terms, 22% of the population of Catalonia has received an injection of the vaccine and 8.4% have the full regimen and are immunised. The vaccination teams have administered a total of 2,349,853 doses of vaccine in Catalonia, of which only 5,186 were inoculated yesterday, compared to the 50,345 doses that had been administered the previous day.