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[[File:Logo MonografíaSpain_Evolution-in-the-number-of-ICU-beds-during-the-first-wave-of-the-pandemic_2020_map_18511_eng.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Map: Evolution in the number of ICU beds during the first wave of the pandemic. 2020. Spain. [//centrodedescargas.cnig.es/CentroDescargas/busquedaRedirigida.do?ruta=PUBLICACION_CNIG_DATOS_VARIOS/aneTematico/Spain_Evolution-in-the-number-of-ICU-beds-during-the-first-wave-of-the-pandemic_2020_map_18511_eng.pdf PDF]. [//centrodedescargas.cnig.es/CentroDescargas/busquedaRedirigida.do?ruta=PUBLICACION_CNIG_DATOS_VARIOS/aneTematico/Spain_Evolution-in-the-number-of-ICU-beds-during-the-first-wave-of-the-pandemic_2020_map_18511_eng.zip Data]. [REPLACE_WITH_GEOCLIP_URL_OR_DELETE_LINK Interactive].]] [[File:Spain_Beds-in-medicalised-hotels-during-the-first-wave-of-the-pandemic_2020_map_18514_eng.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Map: Beds in medicalised hotels during the first wave of the pandemic. 2020. Spain. [//centrodedescargas.cnig.es/CentroDescargas/busquedaRedirigida.do?ruta=PUBLICACION_CNIG_DATOS_VARIOS/aneTematico/Spain_Beds-in-medicalised-hotels-during-the-first-wave-of-the-pandemic_2020_map_18514_eng.pdf PDF]. [//centrodedescargas.cnig.es/CentroDescargas/busquedaRedirigida.do?ruta=PUBLICACION_CNIG_DATOS_VARIOS/aneTematico/Spain_Beds-in-medicalised-hotels-during-the-first-wave-of-the-pandemic_2020_map_18514_eng.zip Data]. [REPLACE_WITH_GEOCLIP_URL_OR_DELETE_LINK Interactive].]]
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A first indicator depicting the changes that took place in hospitals was the increased availability of beds allotted to Intensive Care Units (ICUs), which is shown by regions on the map ''[[:File:Evolution Spain_Evolution-in -the -number -of -ICU -beds -during -the -first -wave -of -the pandemic-pandemic_2020_map_18511_eng.jpg|Evolution in the number of ICU beds during the first wave of the pandemic]]''. There were 150% more ICU beds (excluding newborns) towards the beginning of April 2020 than in January 2020 in the public and private healthcare systems –including both beds with and without respirators–. After the peak of the first wave of the pandemic, a decrease was registered in early June; even so, there were 78% more ICU beds occupied at the end of the first semester of 2020 than at the beginning of the year.
[[File:Logo MonografíaSpain_Messages-on-twitter-in-solidarity-with-the-provisional-Hospital-at-Madrid-Trade-Fair_2020_statisticalgraph_18518_eng.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Statistical graph: Messages on Twitter twitter in solidarity with the provisional hospital Hospital at Madrid Trade Fair. 2020. EspañaSpain.]]
Some other actions were also taken in order to increase the capacity to accommodate the growing number of infected people requiring hospital admission, e.g. field hospitals were built and hotel beds were medicalised as presented on the map on ''[[:File:Beds Spain_Beds-in -medicalised -hotels -during -the -first -wave -of -the pandemic-pandemic_2020_map_18514_eng.jpg|Beds in medicalised hotels during the first wave of the pandemic]]'' pandemic that shows the results of this action, with a large amount of beds being made available in non-medical centres.
Regional authorities strove to multiply the capacity to care for patients requiring hospital admission. For example, the Region of Madrid set up the facilities at Madrid Trade Fair as a provisional field hospital. The particular impact of the first wave of the pandemic on this territory shall be taken into account. Nearly 5,000 patients were admitted and over 1,200 healthcare professionals worked from 23 March to 1 May 2020 in Halls 5 and 7 at Madrid Trade Fair provisional field hospital.
{{ANETextoEpigrafe|epigrafe=Operation BALMIS}}
[[File:Logo MonografíaSpain_GENERAL-DETAILS-OF-THE-BALMIS-OPERATION_2020_illustration_18554_eng.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Illustration: General data on Operation GENERAL DETAILS OF THE BALMISOPERATION. 2020. EspañaSpain.]]
The intervention of the Armed Forces in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic under Operation Balmis was an example of the so-called ‘new missions’ of the Navy, the Army and the Air Force, as a key tool for solving all kinds of crisis. The missions allotted to the Armed Forces were set forth in Spanish Organic Law 5/2005 on National Defence, which states: “The Armed Forces, together with the National Institutions and the Public Administrations, must preserve the security and well-being of citizens in case of serious risk, catastrophe, calamity and other public needs, in accordance with current legislation.” However, the first time that the Armed Forces took on this task was under Operation Balmis, as part of the effort to defeat COVID-19 (except for interventions of the Military Emergency Unit and 43 Air Force Group as well as minor interventions by some other units in recent years). Operation Balmis, which involved over
Several factors were key to the success of Operation Balmis. The unit of command was adapted, the chain of command was simplified and procedures were streamlined from requests for assistance to their fulfillment. All available assets worked under the Operations Command, organised into five Component Commands: Land, Sea, Air, Emergency and Military Health. Even the operation logistics were centralised.
[[File:Logo MonografíaSpain_Interventions-under-Operation-Balmis-by-location_2020_statisticalgraph_18378_eng.jpg|right|thumb|200px300px|Statistical graph: Interventions under operation Operation Balmis by location. 2020. Spain.]][[File:Logo MonografíaSpain_Evolution-in-the-number-of-interventions-under-Operation-Balmis_2020_statisticalgraph_18516_eng.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Statistical graph: Evolution in the number of interventions under Operation Balmis. 2020. Spain.]][[File:Logo MonografíaSpain_Interventions-under-Operation-Balmis-by-type_2020_statisticalgraph_18379_eng.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Statistical graph: Interventions under Operation Balmis by type. 2020. Spain.]][[File:Logo MonografíaSpain_Evolution-in-the-number-of-disinfections-at-nursing-homes_2020_statisticalgraph_18517_eng.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Statistical graph: Evolution in the number of interventions under Operation Balmisdisinfections at nursing homes. 2020. Spain.]]
Requests for support were forwarded directly to the Operations Command through the Government Delegates (the highest representatives of the national government in the different regions), who then forwarded them to the different ministries to manage the crisis. This support was validated, assigned and ordered in a systematic and simple process that allowed the requests to be fulfilled quickly. Basically, four main areas of support were considered: logistics, health, security and infrastructures. The most common tasks were disinfection, transfer of the sick, building field hospitals, transport of medical equipment by air and land, and presence to contribute to public security.
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[[File:Logo MonografíaSpain_Interventions-under-Operation-Balmis_2020_map_18461_eng.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Map: Interventions under Operation Balmis. 2020. EspañaSpain. [//centrodedescargas.cnig.es/CentroDescargas/busquedaRedirigida.do?ruta=PUBLICACION_CNIG_DATOS_VARIOS/aneTematico/Spain_Interventions-under-Operation-Balmis_2020_map_18461_eng.pdf PDF]. [//centrodedescargas.cnig.es/CentroDescargas/busquedaRedirigida.do?ruta=PUBLICACION_CNIG_DATOS_VARIOS/aneTematico/Spain_Interventions-under-Operation-Balmis_2020_map_18461_eng.zip Data].]]
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[[File:Logo MonografíaSpain_Geographical-footprint-of-the-Armed-Forces-under-Operation-Balmis_2020_map_18380_eng.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Map: Geographical footprint of the armed forces Armed Forces under Operation Balmis. 2020. EspañaSpain. [//centrodedescargas.cnig.es/CentroDescargas/busquedaRedirigida.do?ruta=PUBLICACION_CNIG_DATOS_VARIOS/aneTematico/Spain_Geographical-footprint-of-the-Armed-Forces-under-Operation-Balmis_2020_map_18380_eng.pdf PDF]. [//centrodedescargas.cnig.es/CentroDescargas/busquedaRedirigida.do?ruta=PUBLICACION_CNIG_DATOS_VARIOS/aneTematico/Spain_Geographical-footprint-of-the-Armed-Forces-under-Operation-Balmis_2020_map_18380_eng.zip Data].]]
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