Spain to end obligatory mask use on public transport on Feb. 7

Madrid, Jan 26 (EFE).- The obligatory use of face masks on Spanish public transport is set to end on February 7, nearly three years after the rule first came into effect during a strict Covid-19 lockdown, the country’s health minister said Thursday.

The compulsory wearing of face masks will remain in force in medical settings like hospitals, pharmacies, opticians and dental clinics, Carolina Darias told reporters in Madrid.

The widely-anticipated lifting of the mask rule on trains, buses, planes and ferries in Spain marks the dismantling of one of the few remaining vestiges of the pandemic.

It was first introduced in March 2020, when the country entered one of Europe’s earliest and most stringent lockdowns at the dawn of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Obligatory mask use in all indoor and outdoor spaces was introduced in Spain as it emerged from the lockdown that had 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.EFE

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