Spain eliminates mandatory use of masks | News

The Government of Spain has approved this Tuesday the new rule that will eliminate, from Wednesday, the obligation to wear a mask indoors, except in health centers and in all transport, while in work centers it will not be mandatory to use it in general .

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The relaxation of the use of masks has been possible thanks to the fact that "we are in a favorable epidemiological context", as pointed out this Tuesday by the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, during the press conference after the Council of Ministers conclave in which the measure was approved.

Darias defended the decision in what he called the "very high vaccination coverage" of the Spanish population, with 92 percent of people over 12 years of age with a complete schedule and more than 24 million with the booster dose.

The decree approved by the Government establishes that from Wednesday it will only be mandatory to wear the mask in "those spaces where there may be people with vulnerability".

It also defines that visitors and workers of health centers, services and establishments, including pharmacies and social health care, especially residences, although not people admitted to any of these places unless they are using common spaces.

It will also have to be carried on all transport, without exception.

In other closed places for public use such as shops, cinemas, theaters, concert halls, museums, bars, restaurants, nightlife venues, what is recommended is what the health authorities call responsible use of the face mask, as in the environment family, gatherings of friends and private celebrations.

It will also not be mandatory indoors or outdoors at football or basketball games.

Notwithstanding the provision, the Government appeals in any case to responsible use, with recommendations that are not part of the Royal Decree.

In this way, the mask will be advised "when there are crowds and when it comes to vulnerable people", in line with what was proposed by the experts in the alert presentation on which the Executive has relied to make this decision.

The rule comes three weeks after Spain has inaugurated a new phase of the pandemic in which only serious cases and in vulnerable environments are counted and in which people with mild symptoms or without them should not be isolated.