MADRID – During a visit to Barcelona, President Pedro Sanchez made an important announcement to the 47 million citizens of Spain regarding the use of facemasks.
He said he wanted to inform them he had called an extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting next Thursday. At the meeting, he will to propose from Saturday June 26, facemasks will no longer be obligatory in outside spaces.
President Sanchez delivering his speech in Barcelona
Social distance still required
However, masks could still be required outdoors if a social distance of 1.5 metres cannot be maintained with a group outside your “bubble”. The obligation first came into force in May 2020. From then it has been mandatory for everyone over the age of 6 to wear a facemask in public places.
Lowest incidence rate
This still must be approved at the meeting on Thursday. But it comes at a time when Spain is close to the final stages of the vaccination process. Currently people in their 40s are now being called to be vaccinated. The incidence rate is also at its lowest since August last year. And the target of 70% of the population being vaccinated by August is now clearly within sight.
According to the Ministry of Health, of the 39,259,752 doses received, 90.2% have been administered. 29.4% of the population have received both vaccinations while 47.8% have received the first jab.
Official Government Statistics
Earlier this week, France also announced the wearing of facemasks outdoors was no longer necessary.
