Spain Updates Face Mask Wearing Rules From Saturday June 26
Spain News
Published: 24 June 2021 15:46 CET
New face mask rules in Spain will come into effect on Saturday, June 26.
Face coverings will no longer have to be worn outdoors if a 1.5-meter distance can be maintained. It will, however, be compulsory to carry a face mask at all times, so that it is available if a time comes that social distancing cannot be maintained.
Details of the new law were shared by Health Minister Carolina Darias on Wednesday, following a meeting of the Inter-Territorial Council of the National Health System, which brings together central and regional health officials.
In March, it was made law that the wearing of face masks both indoors and outdoors, regardless of social distancing, was mandatory. This law was, however, highly criticised by the Spanish Tourism Industry, as well as some regional governments.
The Health Minister confirmed on Wednesday that this law will be replaced by more flexible rules, that state a face mask will still need to be worn when indoors, on public transportation and in outdoor situations, such as large events or crowded streets, if a safe distance of 1.5 meters cannot be adhered to.
Up until now, the ‘wearing of a mask at all times’ law meant it was hard to forget to wear one when walking into any indoor spaces. With the new, more relaxed law, it will be important to remember to put your mask on when entering a building, or when a situation arises where social distancing cannot be maintained.
Also under the new law, it will no longer be compulsory for social service centre and care home residents to wear a mask, if more than 80% of the institute has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. This is a threshold that has already been met by almost every residence in Spain.
This exception does not, however, apply to workers or visitors at social service residences.
The Spanish government is due to approve the new law on Thursday, at an extraordinary Cabinet meeting “It is a homogenous criterion for the whole country. This is what’s important: a clear, simple message that can be understood by all citizens,” said Darias, following the meeting of the Inter-Territorial Council of the National Health System, which approved the new criteria.
She argued that the decision to ease the face mask rules was justified by the improved epidemiological situation in Spain and the progress of the Covid-19 vaccination drive. “If we look back, one of the elements that we have most associated with the pandemic is the mandatory use of face masks,” Darias said. “It’s a non-pharmaceutical measure that has been tremendously useful in controlling transmission. But the shift in the pandemic, with positive figures, is bringing us to the path towards the new normality.”
This new move, has, however, been met with some opposition. Talking in an interview on Thursday, with Antena 3, Jesús Aguirre, the Regional Health Chief of Andalusia said: “There is no scientific evidence that a face mask in the pocket is effective against the coronavirus.”
Experts have asked for the new face mask law to be regularly evaluated and changed according to the spread of the Covid virus, the progress of the vaccination campaign, plus the pressure on all hospitals and their intensive care units.
Source
https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-06-24/face-masks-in-spain-all-the-latest-on-the-new-rules.html
https://www.thelocal.es/20210624/where-and-when-do-you-still-have-to-wear-a-face-mask-outdoors-in-spain/
