El Pais, Covid-19 in Spain

I will be applying the 5 step critical analysis to the El Pais article on recent Covid-19 upticks in Spain. I will explain how I find it effective in informing the public about the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic in Spain today. 

Description: The title itself outlines the article's main point- Spain reached record-high levels of daily infections, hitting 12,183 this past Friday,. The article continues to explain the severity of the recent spike in cases, referring to recent numbers as a “cause for concern.” This sentiment is expressed through the amount of testing being carried out, which is currently six times that of testing in the spring.  The article goes on to say that this trend is also visible through the number of hospitalizations in the country. Though it varies in separate regions, 7.5% of total hospital beds in Spain are occupied by Covid-19 patients.

Analysis: This article seems to focus almost exclusively on facts and statistics about Covid-19 and its current impact on the Spanish population. For reference, comparisons are made between regions (Madrid being the highest in cumulative incidence at 550, followed by the Basque Country at 370, then La Rioja at 367, and so on.) After making country-wide comparisons, the focus is shifted onto Europe as a whole. The writer states that though they are not parallel to cases in Spain, only France is comparable in COVID cases. Most other European countries have much smaller case-counts. 

Interpretation: The focus on statistics and comparisons between them emphasise certain importance to the numbers. With little to no digression, it is clear that the writer lets the Covid-19 data speak for itself. I interpret this simple method of conveying numbers as an aim to inform the general public of the true severity of this pandemic in Spain. 

Evaluation: I find the article effectively communicates the extremity of the Covid-19 pandemic and how its threat continues to rise in Spain. Through the use of neutral language, the reader is left to interpret the data for themselves. The figures themselves seem credible as the writer refers to the Spanish Health Ministry’s reports throughout the article. 

Engagement: Through its effectiveness in showing how serious Covid-19 continues to be, the article evokes thoughts and conversations about this seriousness. In order to fully realize the implications of these numbers, as opposed to thinking of it as mere data, connecting with loved ones in Spain would shift its true severity into focus. Checking in on loved ones and their health, making sure they are taking the proper precautions, and learning about restrictions in cities bring a personal aspect to this article. I am sure that this article has been read and shared multiple times in an effort to pass on this information to people who may be affected, whether it be directly or indirectly.