Face mask mandate eased
But minister urges people to ‘wear face masks if they have symptoms compatible with an acute respiratory infection or are vulnerable’
THE GOVERNMENT ended the requirement to wear face masks on public transport, including taxis, on Wednesday.
The decision was taken with Covid-19 cases displaying a clear downward trend, with the backing of the experts who make up the alert, planning and response committee, and after evaluating the report issued last week by the inter-territorial committee of the national health system, announced health minister Carolina Darias after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday
According to this report, the cumulative incidence rate over 14 days in people aged over 60 was 50.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and the proportion of hospital beds occupied by Covid patients is 1.6%, one of the lowest of the pandemic.
The minister claimed Spain had set an international benchmark for vaccination, having administered over 110 million doses, with 93% of people over 12 having had the full complement of doses and over 75% of over 80s having received the second booster.
Sra Darias emphasised that face masks are still obligatory in healthcare centres and services, in pharmacies and for people who work in or visit social-health centres, in order to protect the residents who live in them.
She said this measure was in accordance with ‘the planned phases of a roadmap back to normality’.
The minister nevertheless urged people to exercise responsibility and wear face masks if they have symptoms compatible with an acute respiratory infection or are vulnerable.
She also recommended their use in enclosed spaces and very busy events, as well as at family or social gatherings or celebrations if there are vulnerable people present.
State public health agency
The Cabinet also approved the fast-tracking of a law to create a State public health agency (AESAP), which was presented by Sra Darias in
August last year and will now be put to a vote in the parliament.
She said this would fulfil the government’s promise to provide operative, agile, autonomous and effective organisational structures to face any future health risks.
This became a priority based on the experience of the pandemic, which showed that advance planning and rapid and coordinated responses are required from all the nation’s health authorities and the EU, the minister explained.
As well as dealing with any health crises, the AESAP’s duties will include informing the public about health-related matters, and providing technical and scientific advice about health problems.
It will also examine the effects of climate change on health, new zoonoses and emerging illnesses.
The agency will be one of the ‘three pillars’ of this government’s comprehensive health system, along with the public health strategy approved in June 2022 and the
public health vigilance network, plans for which will be published soon.
Lastly, Sra Darias added that Spain will participate in a joint purchase of vaccines from the pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, in order to have more doses in the nation’s strategic reserve.