As of Tuesday, February 7, it will no longer be mandatory to wear masks on public transport in Spain. A measure of this type had not been decided since April last year, when they withdrew from some closed places. But does that mean we won’t have to use them anymore, anywhere in the country?
This is a question that is coming up a lot in recent days. However, last Thursday, the Ministry of Health announced during the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System (CISNS) that it will still be necessary to wear a mask in health centers and establishments, with three exceptions: opticians, orthopedics and hearing aid establishments. There it will no longer be mandatory.
In addition, experts insist that, despite the fact that masks are no longer mandatory on public transport, if we have respiratory symptoms we should continue to wear them. Not only there, but also in any closed establishment. After all, not everything is COVID-19. This year, other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu and respiratory syncytial virus, are making a big appearance, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
If you don’t have to wear masks on public transport, where is it still mandatory?
The places where the mask is still mandatory are hospitals and health centers, as well as specialized care health centers. These include, for example, dentists, assisted reproduction clinics or centers for the voluntary termination of pregnancy.
It will also continue to be mandatory in pharmacies and in social and health centers such as nursing homes. The latter include both visitors and workers, as long as they are in contact with residents. These, on the other hand, have no obligation to carry it.
Therefore, although it is no longer necessary to wear masks on public transport, they are still maintained in some points. We must not forget that recently the World Health Organization made the decision to maintain the declaration of the state of pandemic by COVID-19. Logically, we are much better now, thanks to the high vaccination rates.
That is why Spain and other countries are withdrawing the few remaining containment measures. But you have to keep a sharp eye, because the disease has not abandoned us. So it is best to remember that the fact that the mask is no longer mandatory in certain places does not mean that it is prohibited to wear it. When in doubt, if there are possible symptoms, or if we are people at risk or live with them, it is best to continue using it. On public transport and in any closed and poorly ventilated place.