Spain to require people to wear face masks at all times outdoors
Stephen Burgen
A new law announced today makes mask wearing outdoors, including on beaches and at swimming pools, obligatory throughout
Spain, even in situations where social distancing is not an issue.
The regulation, which has been in force in Catalonia since last July, is now being extended to the entire country.
The announcement has provoked a rash of comments on social media, with many complaining that the decision has less to do with science – which suggests there is little risk of the virus spreading in open spaces – than with the government wishing to show it is taking action to control the pandemic.
“They’re doing this to make it look like they’re doing something even though it makes no sense,” one woman Tweeted. “Fighting with penitence instead of science,” commented another.
Masks may only be removed for eating, drinking and smoking, creating the absurd situation of people queuing for an outside table at a bar with their masks on, then removing them as soon as they are seated.
As Easter approaches, health authorities are warning that infection levels are dangerously close to tipping Spain into a fourth wave. The country has already recorded around 3.2 million cases and over 75,000 deaths. Over the past 14 days Spain has recorded 138,68 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The vaccination program continues to run at a snail’s pace. In Catalonia, barely a third of the over-80s have been vaccinated.
A total of 4.5 million doses have been administered, covering around 10 per cent of the population, but barely 5 per cent have received a second dose
).
