Wearing of masks in public places in Spain to become "obligatory"

Government spokesperson María Jesús Montero, speaking on Sunday. | Efe

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterMadrid17/05/2020 16:10

The national ministry of health will be publishing an order regarding the use of face masks, which will "reinforce the obligatory nature" of the use of masks in public places. The health minister, Salvador Illa, said on Sunday that there was unanimity among regional presidents that "the mandatory use of masks must be reinforced".

The government spokesperson, María Jesús Montero, explained that the public health department has been studying the use of masks for several weeks, suggesting that this will be "regulated" in the coming days. Illa added that the order regulating the use of masks would be within a matter of hours, also having said that there wouldn't be any concrete details until after another videoconference meeting with regional government representatives on Monday. "Until the order is decided, I will not be giving any advance information."

President Armengol was one of the regional presidents who was pressing for masks to be compulsory, something which Dr. Fernando Simón, the director of the Centre for Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies, has previously said cannot be the case for certain people on health grounds other than coronavirus and for and children.

Since 4 May, the wearing of masks on public transport has been obligatory. Otherwise, masks have been recommended where two-metre distancing cannot be guaranteed.