According to the Minister of Health for Spain, Carolina Darias, the end of the mandatory use of masks is not happening yet. Masks still have to be worn on public transport, in chemists, hospitals, medical centres and care homes in Spain, including the Canary Islands, and will not be for at least several more weeks.
The Health authorities are not planning to relax the measure, especially as autumn and winter are coming, which has been in force since April, when masks were no longer made compulsory inside buildings but were deemed necessary in circumstances where the most vulnerable need to be protected.
Darias was asked about this at a press conference yesterday and said her department will always follow the advice of the experts, and for now, the idea of removing the mask rule altogether is not being considered.
She said that although some European countries have lifted the rule, Spain believes it is better to be cautious and see what the incidence of Covid is like in the autumn when the flu season begins.
Although people are disgruntled at having to use them in the Canaries for various things, users in the mainland have to wear them far more often, especially in cities with underground trains, trams etc.
Darias said we are now in the final stage of the pandemic, and the successful vaccination campaign in Spain is one of the principal reasons “we have got to where we are today”.
She also confirmed that in the autumn, when the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines which have been adapted for the new Omicron variants arrive, a new Covid vaccination campaign will begin. The first to receive the vaccine will be the over-80s and residents of care homes.
