Will Spanish Facemask Restrictions Be Removed by Easter?

Facemask restrictions currently remain in place in Spain, where the population are required to wear masks in indoor or enclosed environments (but not outdoors, or on the beach). However, some members of the Spanish government would like to remove all of these remaining restrictions in time for the Easter public holidays.

The debate surrounding wearing facemasks has extended far beyond government, with everyone in Spain having an opinion on whether or not these rules should still be in place or not. At times, Spain’s facemask policy has been seen as particularly controversial, as it didn’t correspond with case numbers in the country. Here’s everything we know about the proposals to change current facemask policy:

What Messages Are Coming from the Government?

The messages coming from the government in recent weeks, on the subject of facemask wearing, have been very vague. We have seen various ministers using terms such as ‘soon’, ‘very soon’, and ‘sooner rather than later’. As recently as last week, the Minister of Health Carolina Darias stated that  “there is one day less” and that the time to decide is “when it is decided”.  With these kinds of vague platitudes being delivered to the general public, it’s easy to see why they find the situation so frustrating.

Whilst attending an event in Cadiz, Ms Darias also stated that the main aim of her department was to ‘protect the population’ and that, whilst the removal of face masks indoors was getting closer, she still wasn’t prepared to say when that day might be.

So why do so many people suspect that facemask restrictions will be lifted in time for the Easter holidays? This is because so many politicians are keen for this to be the case. On the other end of the scale, however, sits Spain’s Public Health Authority, who want the current mask rules to remain in place until at least after the end of this year’s Easter Break. As a result, any decision to lift these guidelines before Easter would be directly opposed to the recommendations of health experts.

When Will We Know if Facemask Restrictions Will Be Lifted?

On Wednesday, April 6, the Interterritorial Council including Health Minister Darias and regional Councillors will meet in Toledo to discuss the current facemask mandate. It is hoped that, during the course of this meeting, they will come to an agreement on lifting the measures. Some ministers have suggested that 12^th April, which is Holy Tuesday, is the day when restrictions might be lifted across the country: the CCAES are presenting a review of the crisis at around the same time, and if their findings are favourable then this could be another reason for the lifting of restrictions to go forward.

What Is the Current Coronavirus Situation in Spain?

Coronavirus cases in Spain continue to decline on a weekly basis: the latest report we have access to was released on 29^th March and showed that per 100,000 citizens, there were just 466 cases of coronavirus in circulation. 92.5% of the Spanish adult population has been fully vaccinated, and the country has also begun its vaccination programme in children under the age of 18 too.

In additional good news, the pressure on both ICU beds and hospital services have also been considerably reduced. There are just 3.52% of hospital beds being used by Covid-19 patients, at the time of writing. This same decline also applies to ICU beds, with just 5.40% of these beds being used by Covid-19 patients.

Whether wearing a facemask or not, the Costa del Sol is still a great place to live. To find out more about what it’s really like to live on the Costa del Sol, or for expert advice and support on making the move, why not get in touch with our property specialists today? We love to help people just like you find the Spanish property of their dreams.