The Minister of Health for Spain, Carolina Darias, revealed the content of the royal decree yesterday that the Council of Ministers in Madrid will approve today, that establishes that masks will not be mandatory outdoors in public "as long as a safety distance of 1.5 metres is respected between non-cohabitants", but it will be Mandatory if there are crowds of people, which prevent the safety distance from being maintained.
Darias stressed that it is a measure which is "flexible, gradual and prudent", and confirmed that "only the obligation of wearing masks in places with low risk of transmission has been cancelled", which is expected to take effect from Saturday across the whole of Spain, and also stated that a mask MUST be carried at all times in case of crowds or not being able to guarantee distancing. Not carrying one will carry the same fine as not wearing one now.
It will continue to be mandatory on public transport (planes, buses, trams etc), and anywhere indoor in public or spaces for public use. It will also be mandatory in mass events such as an open-air concert, but if that event is seated with 1.5 metres distancing being respected, it will not be mandatory.
However, the mask will no longer be mandatory in nursing homes and social residences where more than 80% of people are vaccinated, but it will be mandatory for the workers and visitors of these centres. The same is applicable to essential services. It will also not be mandatory for passengers on ferries or cruise ships in their cabin, or when they are outside on deck and the distance of 1.5 metres can be maintained.
It has not yet been confirmed if the Canary Islands will oppose this new measure, as the Regional Government said earlier in the week that they need to see the ‘small print’ of the decree before they can make a decision. Just yesterday the Public Health Committee said that they advise it should be applied either at different alert levels, or when 50% of the target population is fully vaccinated.
