Fiona Govan
FROM Monday March 28, Spain has dropped the requirements for those who test positive for Covid-19 to self-isolate if they are asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms if they are under 60 years old.
Current rules require those who test positive for the coronavirus to quarantine for at least seven days regardless of whether they are showing symptoms or not.
However, the self-isolation period will remain compulsory for those who have ‘serious cases’ and those classified as high risk which includes pregnant women, those with immunosuppressed conditions and anyone over the age of 60.
A seven-day quarantine period will also still be mandatory for health staff who test positive for Covid-19.
But Spain’s Public Health commission emphasised that it was still advisable for those who had mild symptoms or tested positive with no symptoms to stay at home, minimise contact and wear a mask around others to limit the spread of the virus.
The new rules also mean free COVID-19 tests will only be given to high-risk groups, at health facilities and nursing homes, and on patients with serious conditions, Spain’s Health Ministry said Tuesday.
Spain’s rate of coronavirus contagion has dropped far below the Omicron peak in mid-January but remains relatively high at above 400 new cases per 100,000 residents over 14 days.
However hospitalizations remain low with 93% of the population of Spain now fully vaccinated
Spain announced it would stop the daily reporting of new Covid-19 cases and instead concentrate on monitoring high-risk groups and serious coronavirus cases.
Since the first case was identified in early 2020, Spain has officially reported 11.3 million infections and just over 100,000 confirmed deaths, although the accuracy of record-keeping has varied during the pandemic.
Spain has also said it poised to drop mandatory wearing of face-masks in public places but has yet to announce the definitive date of when that might happen.
Mask wearing is currently required in all indoor public spaces including shops, bars and restaurants apart from when eating and drinking as well as on public transport.
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