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Date Published: 18/04/2022

ARCHIVED - Countdown to the end of masks in Spain: where will we still need to wear them?

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

Face masks will cease to be mandatory indoors in most places in Spain on April 20

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Countdown to the end of masks in Spain: where will we still need to wear them?

After a long two years, Spain is finally preparing to say adiós to mask-wearing indoors on Wednesday April 20, but the new rule will have some exceptions and there has been a lot of speculation that certain establishments will continue to impose the restriction.

The government has been very clear on the fact that masks will absolutely remain mandatory on all public transport, in hospitals and health centres and just this weekend, the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, announced that they would also be required in pharmacies.

Bars and Restaurants

When the Royal Decree scrapping masks is published in Spain’s Official State Gazette (BOE) on April 19, it will specify that face coverings are no longer required in the indoor spaces of bars, restaurants and cafés. Everything indicates, therefore, that establishments will not be permitted to force customers to wear masks.

Supermarkets and shops

It will not be necessary to wear a facemask in any commercial establishment, regardless of its size. Likewise, people across Spain will be able to visit cinemas, theatres and concerts without masks.

However, the government has appealed for “individual responsibility” and has advised citizens to consider wearing a mask indoors where they are a lot of people gathered or in cases where the ventilation is poor.

The gym

One of the greatest criticisms of indoor mask-wearing has undoubtedly been the irritation while exercising, but the restriction has long been applied to gyms given the heightened risk of infection in this environment. From Wednesday, however, it is expected that masks will no longer be mandatory in gyms.

At the office

This has been a sticking point for the Ministry of Health in Spain, but President Sánchez has indicated that the decision on whether employees will be required to wear masks will be left up to the company’s occupational risk prevention services. Therefore, individual businesses will decide if their staff will have to wear masks and employees must abide by this decision.

Schools

Children in school classrooms will also not have to wear facemasks anymore, but it is up to each individual school whether or not they request teachers to continue wearing them.

Taxis and public transport

Masks will continue to be mandatory on all forms of public transport such as buses, trains and planes. The law will also apply to taxis, even if there is only one passenger.

Dentists and doctors

The term ‘health centre’ has been one of the most confusing in the legislative change, but it is understood that dentists, physiotherapy, psychology centres and the like will all fall into this category and so masks will be required.

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