Christmas Gatherings Increase Flu Transmission Risk
The 2025 Christmas holiday overlaps with a high-incidence “super flu season,” raising concerns among health experts about the large-scale spread of viruses. Family gatherings are considered ideal environments for virus transmission, as they involve large groups in close contact within enclosed spaces for extended periods. Experts point out that from an epidemiological perspective, these warm social activities are not recommended.
This season, a new strain known as “Virus K” is circulating alongside traditional influenza viruses, leading to a surge in infection numbers. The elderly, children, and immunocompromised individuals are listed as high-risk groups. Health authorities recommend that the public take necessary precautions during the holidays, including: avoiding gatherings if experiencing symptoms like fever or cough; maintaining good indoor ventilation; frequent hand washing; wearing masks when necessary; and getting the flu vaccine as soon as possible.
Madrid Launches Special Holiday Traffic Plan
To cope with the dramatically increased travel demand during the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Community of Madrid (Comunidad de Madrid) has activated a special public transport service plan, which will last until around January 6, 2026. The Metro de Madrid system will increase train services by approximately 60% on major lines such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10. Additional staff will be deployed at busy downtown stations to ensure smooth operations and capacity.
Surface public transport has also been adjusted. Municipal buses (EMT) and interurban buses (interurbanos) have increased their frequency on some routes during the afternoons from December 22 to January 7. Additionally, operating hours will change during the holidays: on December 24, Christmas Eve, the metro will end service early at 22:00; on December 25, Christmas Day, service will begin at 8:00 AM; and on January 1, 2026, New Year’s Day, operations will start at 7:00 AM.
Winter Weather Arrives, Disrupting Traffic in Some Regions
On December 21, the autonomous community of Castile and León (Castilla y León) officially entered winter, with many areas experiencing rain, snow, and sub-zero temperatures. The adverse weather has significantly impacted local traffic. As of that day, nearly 30 roads, mostly provincial highways, were experiencing disruptions.
The province of Ávila was particularly affected, with a section of the AV-932 road completely closed. In the province of Burgos, three provincial roads—BU-570, BU-571, and BU-572—were also closed due to snow. Although no roads were completely closed in the province of León, travel advisories were issued for several main routes, including the A-6 highway. The local government’s winter road maintenance department has activated its emergency protocol, carrying out snow removal and de-icing operations.
Andalusia Opens Special Application Channel for International Students
The government of the autonomous community of Andalusia has announced that it will open a special application phase in March 2026 for undergraduate degree programs (Grados) for students holding foreign high school diplomas. This “application phase for foreign students” is scheduled from March 6 to March 19. Students can submit their applications through Andalusia’s single university district system (Distrito Único Andaluz), with admission results expected to be announced on April 4.
This new policy aims to allow international students to receive their admission offers earlier, giving them sufficient time to handle visas, arrange accommodation, and other matters. Applicants are not required to take Spain’s university entrance exam (EBAU/Selectividad); their admission will be based primarily on their high school grades. The policy covers the nine public universities in the Andalusia region, including the University of Granada, the University of Seville, and the University of Málaga.
