Spain to end obligatory mask use outdoors on June 26

Barcelona, Spain, Jun 18 (EFE).- The mandatory use of face masks in outdoor spaces in Spain will be lifted on June 26, the prime minister said Friday.

Pedro Sanchez told an economics forum in Barcelona that his government will formalize the rule change in a cabinet meeting next week.

“With the vaccination drive going at the rhythm it has for several months (…) and as the economy goes up, evidently, if you will permit this play on words, the masks will progressively go down,” he said.

“Our streets and our faces will, in the coming days, recover their normal features.”

Face masks were made obligatory in all public spaces after the population entered a draconian lockdown in March 2020. They will continue to be compulsory for indoor spaces such as shops and restaurants.

Spain was one of the first European countries to register a devastating first wave of Covid-19, shortly after Italy.

There have been over 3 million infections and 80,600 deaths in Spain since the pandemic began.

A recent fourth wave of the virus flattened sooner than predicted.

Almost 50% of the population has had at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine while nearly a third is fully vaccinated.EFE

BB-jt/mp