Madrid, Dec. 22 (BUS): Spain has made face masks mandatory outdoors as it looks cautiously at a wave of new coronavirus infections fueled by the omicron variable.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the measure on Wednesday after a video conference with the region’s leaders, German news agency dpa reported.
Spain introduced compulsory outdoor wearing of masks at earlier points in the pandemic, and many Spaniards continued to wear them voluntarily.
Sanchez said Spain will also combat the spread of Omicron with a new push for booster vaccine shots and efforts to boost medical personnel.
However, Catalonia takes a tougher approach than the rest of the country. The region, which includes Barcelona, announced the closure of bars, clubs and discos this week, as well as a curfew from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. and occupancy limits in restaurants and recreational facilities. These measures are set to take effect on Friday and will initially last for 15 days.
Across Spain, the number of new infections has risen dramatically. However, with a vaccination rate of more than 80 percent, many infected people had only mild symptoms, if any, and hospitals were not overcrowded.
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