Face masks will no longer be required on public transport, including flights into Spain, from 7 February. Spanish health minister Carolina Darias has announced that the government will formally end the ban at its cabinet meeting on that date, bearing in mind the “current situation of COVID-19 epidemiological stability” and reports by experts and scientific institutions.
It will still be obligatory to wear face masks in hospitals, health clinics and pharmacies, for both healthcare workers and visitors.
Next week, before the meeting, Darias will convene the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System (CISNS) to coordinate the measure with regional governments and cities, taking into account latest Public Health Commission reports. She noted that all decisions adopted during the different phases of the pandemic had been agreed by the CISNS as part of a coordinated national approach to COVID-19.
According to official data, the number of COVID-19 cases in Spain has dropped significantly compared with the situation 12 months ago. Spain also has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, with well over 100 million doses administered so far. More than 85 per cent of the adult population has completed the primary vaccination process, just under 68 per cent have received their first booster shot, and over 22 per cent the second booster.
The use of face masks on public transport remains the last preventative measure currently imposed by the government, which has lifted COVID-19 travel restrictions progressively since last autumn.