Royal decree will end mandatory masks outdoors in Spain

Mandatory use of masks outdoors in Spain is expected to be abolished next Tuesday in a meeting of the Council of Ministers

A Royal Decree will be signed next Tuesday, February 8, when the Council of Ministers convenes again. This decree will finally put an end to the mandatory use of facemasks outdoors in Spain. The elimination of the mask on the street will be effective as of Thursday 10, once the norm enters the BOE.   

The ruling has been enforced by the Government since December 24, and has been implemented on and off since the start of the pandemic back in March 2020. It was designed this last time to curb the spread of the Omicron variant that has since been rampant throughout the country.

In a vote last Tuesday 1, Congress had voted to extend the use of masks outdoors, along with other matters totally unrelated to it, such as the revaluation of pensions by the 2021 CPI, or the hiring of health workers.

Just 48 hours later, this Thursday 3, Carolina Darias, the Minister of Health, had announced that the mask would “soon” no longer be mandatory in outdoor spaces, although she did not want to specify when.

Then, this Friday 4, she said it at the microphones of the SER, announcing that this matter will be debated next Monday 7 within the  Interterritorial Council of the National Health System.
As far as Andalucia is concerned, Health Minister, Jesus Aguirre, interviewed on Canal Sur Television, said he was in favour of eliminating the mandatory use of masks outdoors, but indicated, however, that he does continue to consider it advisable to wear them in places with crowds.
Aguirre stated that he contacted Carolina Darias on Friday morning, who told him that the meeting of the Interterritorial Council will be held next Monday, where it will probably be approved to abolish said obligation, and that on Tuesday, in the Council of Ministers, it will be approved to eliminate it, as reported by elespanol.com.

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