Madrid, Feb. 8 (BUS): Spain has rescinded the mandate to wear masks outdoors, as COVID-19 infection rates drop and hospitals report a drop in admissions, according to the Associated Press.
It will not be necessary to wear masks outside from Thursday, government spokeswoman Isabel Rodriguez said Tuesday after a weekly cabinet meeting.
The rule change includes children in school during breaks outside the classroom.
However, masks remain mandatory in indoor public places, including on public transport, and when people cannot maintain a safe distance of 1.5 meters (4 feet) between them.
The measure reverses a step taken last December amid an unprecedented wave of infections fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant.
Official Health Ministry data showed how the spread of the virus increased rapidly in November and peaked on January 21 at 3,418 new infections per 100,000 residents over two weeks, an epidemic record. Infections have since slowed, with the 14-day figure dropping to just under 2,000.
Authorities attribute the robust vaccination rate of nearly 81% of Spain’s 47 million people to a lower rate of hospitalizations for COVID-19 patients compared to previous infections. Spain has officially recorded more than 94,000 deaths linked to COVID-19.
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