Unless you intend to go to a health center, pharmacy or residence, it will no longer be necessary to carry a face mask in your pocket (or in your purse or backpack) for use on the go. public transport. As of this Wednesday, it will no longer be mandatory to wear a mask to prevent the spread of covid on the subway, train, bus or plane, as well as in opticians, hearing or orthopedic centers. As announced, the Minister council has approved this Tuesday the necessary decree to put an end to compulsory transport, which will come into force this Wednesday, February 8, when it is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
In this way, Spain ceases to be the only EU country that requires the use of a mask in transport. But, to continue protecting vulnerable people, the Government maintains its use in the health centers, hospitals, pharmacies or first-aid kits. Likewise, in the residences It will be mandatory for visitors or workers and the company’s prevention services may impose it if an outbreak occurs.
The Minister of Health, Caroline Dariashas stressed that the end of the mask in transport is a “further step, but an important step because it means continuing to comply with the planned roadmap, phase by phase, to return to normal practice [que interrumpió la pandemia]”.
Stability
The minister has justified the decision that the incidence of covid continues “stable” and it has not registered an important peak due to the Christmas celebrations, the cold or the opening of the Chinese bordersas was initially feared due to the explosion of infections that the Asian giant has suffered by ending the policy of ‘covid 0‘. Darias has given as an example of the favorable evolution of the pandemic the fact that a year ago there was a incidence of 3,418 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and now it is 50.
The number of infections, however, is no longer a very reliable indicator since now only people over 60 are tested. But the hospital pressure indicates that the covid no longer puts hospitals on the ropes. According to the last balance, The percentage of beds occupied by covid patients is 1.6% (and 1.7% in the ICU), far from the levels recorded in the harshest phases of the pandemic.
The recommendation
Even so, the minister has recommended the use of a mask to people with symptoms from suffering from a respiratory disease (whether covid, flu or cold), to vulnerable people and in closed spaces, mass events and in the family environment if there are people with a greater predisposition to get sick from viruses.
The measure has been endorsed by the alert presentationwhich brings together experts from the Ministry and the communities, and the Interterritorial Council, where most of the autonomies, like many of the specialists, support the end of the obligation. However, there are still some critical voices. The president of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno (PP), has considered that it should have waited “one more month & rdquor; until spring arrives and the peaks of respiratory infections subside.
the inconsistency
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On the contrary, the sector of transport has applauded a measure that they have been requesting since last September. In fact, many epidemiologists and communities began to postulate in favor of the withdrawal, given that, except on the bus or plane, where their use is more controlled, on the subway or train many users don’t use it. In addition, for months he has lived with the incoherence that a mask is required in transport and not in places with hardly any ventilation and crowded places such as discos or concerts. However, the presentation of alerts decided to wait for the winter to pass and, although meteorologically it has not ended, the good evolution of the virus has led them to make the decision now.
On the other hand, the Council of Ministers has approved the bill for the creation of the State Public Health Agency, a measure that has been pending since 2011 and that the covid has shown is necessary in order to improve management , coordination and preparation for future epidemics.