Facemasks will no longer be mandatory on public transportation from 7 February, as Spain is one of the few remaining countries to impose the rule, three years after the start of the pandemic, Health Minister Carolina Darias said on Thursday.
The rule, applying to passengers on trains, buses, planes, and ferries was first introduced at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 when Spain entered a very strict lockdown.
Face masks will remain compulsory in medical settings like hospitals, pharmacies, opticians, and dental clinics, Darias told reporters in Madrid, EURACTIV’s partner EFE reported.
Obligatory mask use in all indoor and outdoor spaces was introduced in Spain as the country began to ease the lockdown rules that kept much of the 47 million people housebound for three months, save for crucial trips for groceries, pharmaceuticals, and doctor’s appointments.
The use of masks in indoor public spaces like restaurants, shops and museums was made optional in April last year.
(Fernando Heller | EuroEFE.EURACTIV.es)
Source: euractiv.com
