Alex Trelinski
FACEMASKS will still have to be worn in Spain, even after the State of Alarm comes to an end later this month.
The Cabinet is set approve measures this Tuesday (June 9) to extend the wearing of masks for the foreseeable future in public areas where social distancing of two metres cannot be carried out.
Fines of up to €100 are planned for people who flout the law, with regional governments like Andalucia and Valencia being given extra powers to enforce mask wearing.
The current rules will be extended to keep travellers using masks on public transport as well as in shops, restaurants and bars.
The move is seen as part of a package of measures to ensure that there is not an increase in new coronavirus cases as Spain eases out of lockdown measures – lockdown is set to end on June 21.
Other European countries are coming on board over the need to wear masks, with the UK introducing compulsory mask wearing on public transport next week.
The World Health Organisation, which earlier during the pandemic played down the need to wear masks, issued a new set of guidelines at the weekend which said that masks should be worn in areas where social distancing cannot be carried out.
It also comes as a British councillor in Spain’s Alicante has warned that ‘coronavirus is still here’ and a second outbreak could happen if people become complacent with the rules.
